Swissport partners with flynas to expand Saudi aviation services

Swissport, the world’s leader in aviation services, and flynas, the Middle East's leading low-cost carrier, have entered into a long-term strategic commercial and financial partnership. This major agreement represents a significant milestone for both companies while further strengthening Swissport's prominent position in airport ground services, air cargo handling, and airport hospitality globally.

Under the agreement, Swissport Saudi Arabia will become flynas' exclusive ground handling partner for five years across its entire network in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. As part of the transaction, flynas will also acquire a 10% equity stake in Swissport Saudi Arabia, with an option to increase its shareholding to up to 20% in the future. Following this agreement, Swissport’s share of Saudi Arabia’s ground handling market will reach approximately 40% of the total in the Kingdom, reinforcing its position as one of the key players contributing towards Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 and aviation strategy.

"This partnership marks a major milestone for Swissport in Saudi Arabia," said Warwick Brady, President & CEO of Swissport International. "It significantly strengthens our scale and competitive position in the Middle East's largest and fastest-growing aviation market and reflects our long-term commitment to the success and continued development of the Kingdom's aviation sector. Our global track record in safety, operational excellence, digital transformation and workforce development provides the foundation required to support flynas’ expansion. By combining our operational expertise and technological capabilities with flynas's ambitious growth plans, we are building a long-term partnership that supports Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 while delivering safe, reliable and high-quality aviation services to millions of passengers in the years ahead.”

Commenting on the agreement, Ayed Al Jeaid, Chairman of flynas, stated: "The unprecedented expansion of our fleet and destination network necessitates building an integrated services ecosystem that keeps pace with this growth and supports its sustainability. Our direct investment in the ground handling sector is a strategic extension of our operations. It maximizes our readiness to accommodate rapid operational growth, boosts efficiency, and bolsters flynas's ambitions to strengthen its regional and global leadership."

As one of the fastest-growing airlines in the Middle East, flynas increased its capacity by more than 60% between 2019 and 2024, reflecting the exceptional momentum of Saudi Arabia's aviation sector. In 2025, the airline carried 15.8 million passengers, marking a 7% year-on-year increase. Supported by the Kingdom's Vision 2030 strategy, flynas continues to drive tourism expansion, enhance connectivity, and contribute to Saudi Arabia's economic diversification. In July 2026, flynas confirmed the purchase of five A330neo wide-body aircraft and 20 A321neo aircraft under its existing agreements with Airbus, bringing its confirmed Airbus orders to 235 aircraft out of a total orderbook of 280 aircraft, supporting the airline's growth and expansion plans in the coming years.

Hamad Alhemede, Chief Executive Officer of Swissport KSA, said: “Saudi Vision 2030 aims to position the Kingdom as a global logistics hub by advancing the aviation sector and strengthening its competitiveness as a key pillar of economic diversification. flynas plays a pivotal role in supporting the ambitions of Saudi Arabia’s aviation strategy. Having achieved one of the fastest growth trajectories among airlines in the region, flynas is entering its next phase of strategic growth. This partnership will serve as a key enabler of that journey, leveraging Swissport’s global expertise, advanced technologies and integrated solutions to support flynas’ ambitious expansion plans. What truly distinguishes this partnership is the strategic alignment between both companies. With flynas becoming a shareholder in Swissport Saudi Arabia, the relationship extends far beyond the traditional supplier to customer relationship, creating a long-term partnership built around shared ambitions and mutual growth.”

Bander Almohanna, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of flynas, said: "Our investment as a shareholder in Swissport Saudi Arabia reflects our conviction in the importance of building a deeper strategic relationship and a partnership based on aligned visions and joint investment in the future of Saudi Arabia's aviation sector. Swissport is a trusted strategic partner, and our choice of them aligns perfectly with our long-term growth plans, given the company's operational expertise as a global leader in aviation services and the integrated technologies and solutions it offers."

The partnership will substantially increase Swissport's operations in Saudi Arabia, strengthening its market presence and creating a solid platform for continued expansion. Ten years after launching operations in the Kingdom, Swissport now employs more than 6,000 aviation professionals and serves customers at 20 airports across Saudi Arabia. According to IATA, based on its latest available (2023) data, Saudi Arabia's aviation sector contributes around US$90.6 billion to the economy, equivalent to 8.5% of GDP, and supports more than 1.4 million jobs.

Under Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia is investing more than US$100 billion in aviation infrastructure and ecosystem development. Swissport is also accelerating technological transformation through AI-enabled resource planning, turnaround monitoring, robotics, and autonomous ground support equipment. Developing local talent remains equally central, with structured learning programmes provided through the Swissport Academy to support the country's rapidly expanding aviation sector.