Al Maha Airways

Al Maha Airways was a proposed Saudi Arabian passenger airline established as a subsidiary project of Qatar Airways in 2014. It was designed to serve the Saudi travel market, with its initial base associated with King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah and later planning linked to Hamad International Airport in Doha. The project was part of Qatar Airways' broader effort to create a locally oriented airline presence in Saudi Arabia while applying the parent group's operating expertise, aircraft resources and brand standards. The proposed carrier was intended to operate scheduled passenger services within Saudi Arabia and to selected regional destinations. Publicly reported initial destinations included Jeddah, Riyadh, Dammam, Medina, Abha, Al Qassim, Doha, Dubai's Al Maktoum International Airport and Muscat. The brand was planned to carry the Qatar Airways logo, but with a green color scheme rather than Qatar Airways' characteristic burgundy, reflecting Saudi Arabia's national colors. Its name, Al Maha, refers to the Arabian oryx in Arabic. The launch was originally expected in 2014, but preparations did not progress to commercial service. The start date was subsequently postponed, with later expectations pointing toward summer 2016. The project encountered difficulties obtaining the required operational license and completing the regulatory and operational arrangements needed for a new airline. Although four Airbus A320-200 aircraft were delivered to the planned airline on 29 April 2015, Al Maha Airways never established a scheduled passenger network. In February 2017, Qatar Airways announced that the project had been cancelled. The cancellation followed continuing licensing problems and the Qatar diplomatic crisis, which began in 2017 and disrupted relations and transport links between Qatar and several neighboring states, including Saudi Arabia. Al Maha Airways therefore remained a planned airline brand rather than a functioning carrier. It is best classified as a discontinued airline project: it had a defined corporate sponsor, proposed bases, a planned fleet and announced destinations, but did not enter sustained commercial passenger operations.

Al Maha Airways was conceived in 2014 as a Saudi Arabian subsidiary of Qatar Airways. The proposed airline was intended to participate in the Saudi passenger aviation market, using Qatar Airways' experience in airline operations and its wider corporate resources. Its initial operating base was associated with King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah; later descriptions also connected the project with Hamad International Airport in Doha. The brand was designed to remain visibly connected to Qatar Airways while being adapted for the Saudi market. It was expected to use the Qatar Airways logo, but its livery was planned to use green in place of the parent airline's burgundy. The color choice was intended to correspond with Saudi Arabia's national colors. The name Al Maha, meaning Arabian oryx, also gave the project a regional identity. Al Maha Airways was expected to begin operating in the fourth quarter of 2014, but the launch did not occur. The start date was later moved toward summer 2016. During this period, the airline developed at least part of its planned fleet: four Airbus A320-200 aircraft were delivered on 29 April 2015. The aircraft deliveries demonstrated that the project had advanced beyond a purely conceptual proposal, but they did not lead to a public scheduled network. The proposed network was focused on Saudi domestic travel and nearby international markets. Announced or reported destinations included Jeddah, Riyadh, Dammam, Medina, Abha and Al Qassim within Saudi Arabia, together with Doha, Dubai's Al Maktoum International Airport and Muscat. These destinations remained planned routes rather than evidence of sustained commercial service. The project was affected by difficulties securing the operational license required to begin airline operations. Regulatory approval, route authorization, airport arrangements and other launch requirements remained unresolved. In February 2017, Qatar Airways announced that it had cancelled the project and that Al Maha Airways would not commence operations. The announcement followed the continuing licensing problems and the Qatar diplomatic crisis, which created a challenging political and transportation environment for a Qatar-backed airline seeking to operate in Saudi Arabia. Al Maha Airways consequently never became an active scheduled carrier. Its historical significance lies in the attempted expansion of Qatar Airways into the Saudi market, the use of a distinct Saudi-oriented identity, and the fact that aircraft were delivered before the project was abandoned. The brand is now treated as discontinued, with no established commercial passenger network or continuing operating presence.

• 2017

  Project cancelled before commercial launch

  [1]Al Maha Airwaysen.wikipedia.org

  Qatar Airways announced in February that Al Maha Airways would not begin operations, citing licensing difficulties and the Qatar diplomatic crisis.

• 2016

  Proposed launch postponed again

  [1]Al Maha Airwaysen.wikipedia.org

  The expected start of operations was moved toward summer 2016 after the original launch timetable was not achieved.

• 2015

  Four Airbus A320-200 aircraft delivered

  [1]Al Maha Airwaysen.wikipedia.org

  The planned airline took delivery of four Airbus A320-200 aircraft on 29 April 2015, although it had not yet obtained the approvals needed to begin commercial service.

• 2014

  Qatar Airways announces a Saudi subsidiary project

  [1]Al Maha Airwaysen.wikipedia.org

  Al Maha Airways was founded or announced as a planned Saudi Arabian subsidiary of Qatar Airways, with the objective of serving the Saudi passenger market.

A Qatar Airways-backed passenger airline intended to provide domestic Saudi Arabian and selected regional services under a locally adapted green brand identity.

• Passenger airline services

  Scheduled passenger services

  Al Maha Airways was planned as a scheduled passenger carrier serving Saudi Arabia and selected nearby international destinations. The proposed network included major Saudi cities such as Jeddah, Riyadh and Dammam, as well as Medina, Abha and Al Qassim. Regional destinations were reported to include Doha, Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai and Muscat. These services remained planned offerings because the airline never obtained the required operating authorization and did not commence regular flights.

• Commercial aircraft · 2015

  Airbus A320-200 fleet

  The proposed carrier received four Airbus A320-200 aircraft on 29 April 2015. The aircraft were intended to support the airline's planned short- and medium-haul passenger network. Their delivery marked a significant preparation step, but the fleet was not used to establish a sustained Al Maha Airways commercial operation.

• 2017

  Cancellation of the Al Maha Airways projectStrategy

  Background

  The planned airline had experienced repeated launch delays and continued difficulty obtaining its operational license. The Qatar diplomatic crisis further complicated the political and operating environment for a Qatar-backed airline intended to serve Saudi Arabia.

  Action taken

  Qatar Airways decided to cancel the project in February 2017 and confirmed that Al Maha Airways would not begin commercial operations.

  Aftermath

  Al Maha Airways remained a discontinued airline project. It did not develop a scheduled passenger network or become an active carrier.

  Source

• 2017

  Qatar Airways cancels the Al Maha Airways project[1]Al Maha Airwaysen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Qatar Airways announced that Al Maha Airways would not begin operations. The decision was attributed to unresolved operational licensing issues and the Qatar diplomatic crisis.

• 2016

  Al Maha Airways launch delayed[1]Al Maha Airwaysen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The airline's expected launch was postponed from its original schedule, with operations later anticipated for summer 2016. The carrier still did not begin regular service.

• 2015

  Al Maha Airways receives four Airbus A320-200 aircraft[1]Al Maha Airwaysen.wikipedia.org

  Product generation

  Four Airbus A320-200 aircraft were delivered to the planned Qatar Airways subsidiary on 29 April 2015, despite the airline not yet having commenced commercial operations.

1. 1Al Maha Airwaysen.wikipedia.org