Seven years after the Civil Aviation Authority first signed an agreement with the General Authority of Civil Aviation of Saudi Arabia that allows aircraft registered in the Cayman Islands to engage in commercial air transport operated by a Saudi Arabian airline, regulators have agreed to expand the cooperation.
In late January, a Civil Aviation Authority team, led by Director-General Richard Smith, traveled to Saudi Arabia to meet with GACA officials. The discussions resulted in consensus to extend and expand the scope of cooperation to allow additional commercial operations under the agreement.
This will also create opportunities for the Cayman Islands Aircraft Registry within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the region, the Civil Aviation Authority said.
The agreement, which required the approval of the U.K. Foreign and Commonwealth Office, is executed in accordance with the standards and recommended practices of International Civil Aviation Organization and has been working well for all of the agencies involved, the aviation authority said.
Mr. Smith noted that the agreement is regarded as a model for regulatory cooperation between two states’ aviation authorities.
“Our working relationship with GACA has matured over the years and has evolved into a high level of respect for each other’s regulatory obligations,” he said. “The mutual benefit to our respective aviation industries is also recognized.”
The Saudi airline National Air Service operates 26 Cayman Islands registered aircraft, including the Airbus A320 and Embraer 195 types.
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