VZCZCXRO5020
RR RUEHDH
DE RUEHJI #0050/01 0581305
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 271305Z FEB 10
FM AMCONSUL JEDDAH
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1720
INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH 8693
RUEHDH/AMCONSUL DHAHRAN 0221
RULSDMK/DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION WASHDC
RHMFIUU/TSA HQ WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JEDDAH 000050 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR NEA/ARP (HARRIS) AND EEB/TRA/AN (FINSTON) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAIR ECON KTIA PREL SA
SUBJECT: GACA COMMENTS ON US-SAUDI OPEN SKIES AGREEMENT, 
NEW TSA REGULATIONS 
 
REF: A. 09JEDDAH444 
     ¶B. 09JEDDAH414 
     ¶C. 09JEDDAH178 
     ¶D. 09JEDDAH146 
     ¶E. TREIBER-FINSTON 2/2/10 EMAIL 
 
JEDDAH 00000050  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary and comment.  On February 3, Captain 
Mohammed Ali Jamjoom, Vice President Safety and Economic 
Regulation at the Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation 
(GACA), discussed issues needing to be resolved for the U.S. 
and Saudi Arabia to sign an Open Skies agreement (reftels). 
Jamjoom stated that if the U.S. can accept the "quite small" 
Saudi changes and a transition period before full sixth 
freedom rights, the parties should be able to initial an 
agreement, which would immediately enter into provisional 
effect pending full final approval by high-level Saudi 
authorities.  Noting that GACA and TSA cooperate strongly to 
ensure passenger safety, Jamjoom expressed doubts about the 
efficacy and enforceability of new TSA in-cabin security 
measures and his hope that alternatives to full-body airport 
scans can be developed.  We were pleasantly surprised at 
GACA,s high level of interest in expediting Open Skies even 
after the Christmas bombing and subsequent TSA regulations. 
We request department's assistance in wrapping up these 
negotiations as quickly as possible since we believe 
concluding Open Skies will be a very welcome sign of our 
mutual interest in strengthening our relations.  End summary 
and comment. 
 
 
SIXTH FREEDOM RIGHTS 
 
¶2. (U) Econcouns informed Jamjoom that while the U.S. takes 
the Saudi proposal very seriously and is quite interested in 
concluding an Open Skies agreement, including sixth freedom 
rights is extremely important.  Jamjoom told Econcouns that 
he believes that full open sixth freedom rights after a 
transition period will not be a problem, and that if the U.S. 
proposal on a sixth freedom transition period is similar to 
the Saudi proposal in principle the two sides could reach an 
agreement, especially if issues to be discussed were put in 
annexes.  The Saudi aviation industry is divided about 
concluding an Open Skies agreement with the U.S., with some 
thinking they should "be brave enough to accept additional 
competition" and others "more conservative." 
 
 
DATE OPEN SKIES AGREEMENT BECOMES EFFECTIVE 
 
¶3. (U) Noting that the U.S. proposed agreement had a hard 
date for entry into effect, Econcouns asked Jamjoom why the 
Saudi counterproposal removed this fixed date from Annex II. 
Jamjoom explained that it "takes time" for international 
agreements to be fully approved through the Saudi system, 
noting the agreement will need to be forwarded to the Council 
of Ministers and Council of Experts for consideration.  Once 
the parties agree on a text, Jamjoom suggested,  they can 
initial the agreement and begin to implement it before final 
official approval (e.g., the agreement would be provisionally 
applicable before official entry into force).  Discussing how 
to initial the agreement, Jamjoom personally favored a public 
ceremonial signing with press coverage to show the U.S.-Saudi 
relationship is in good shape. 
 
 
SAUDI OUTLOOK ON AVIATION 
 
¶4. (U) Asked about the Saudi industry outlook on the future 
of aviation, Jamjoom replied the industry didn't do too 
badly.  Although Hajj aviation decreased in 2009 because of 
H1N1 fears, traffic overall has been quite stable and the 
aviation industry has not significantly decreased. The 
problem is not traffic by itself, it is that the Saudi fleet 
is not configured to take advantage of existing passenger 
loads.  Current volume does not justify big aircraft, so 
Saudi Arabian Airlines is now correcting its fleet.  The 
Airbus 320 "hit the right spot" and has built on it; the 
Boeing 787 looks promising, but the 777 is too large for many 
operators. 
 
 
U.S. ATTRACTIVE DESTINATION; RESTRICTION IS VISAS 
 
¶5. (U) Traffic on North American routes has been 
significantly stimulated by the number of students on King 
 
JEDDAH 00000050  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
Abdullah scholarships.  Saudi Arabian Airlines is considering 
destinations beyond New York and WashDC, especially Orlando. 
The U.S. is still an attractive destination for Saudis, 
offering value for money and a wider variety of attractions 
-- the restriction is visas, Jamjoom concluded, asking when 
full visa service will resume in Jeddah. 
 
 
NEW TSA REGULATIONS 
 
¶6. (U) Sharing his view of the new TSA regulations, Jamjoom 
said that while SAG adheres to its agreement with TSA to 
implement screening for U.S.-bound flights, he personally 
doubted the efficacy and applicability of some new in-cabin 
measures, such as restrictions on using the toilets during 
the last hour of the flight or banning blankets on laps. 
Speaking as an ex-pilot, Jamjoom opined that protection in 
the aircraft is too late; no one in the aircraft should be a 
threat.  Jamjoom also questioned whether some of the new 
rules could be implemented because of cultural differences, 
commenting that flight attendants on Saudi airlines are 
foreign workers, and will not be listened to and obeyed by 
Saudi passengers.  In terms of security at the airport, 
Jamjoom wondered if there are alternatives to mandatory 
full-body x-rays of all passengers, such as optional hand 
searches by same-gender security staff.  (Note: GACA was 
intensely criticized in the Saudi media this month for 
allegedly receiving a memo from TSA outlining new security 
procedures directed at Saudis on U.S.-bound flights -- a 
charge the GACA spokesman has publicly denied.) 
 
 
COMMENT 
 
¶7. (SBU) We were pleasantly surprised at GACA,s high level 
of interest in concluding expeditiously the Open Skies 
agreement.  GACA is aware that it would offer Saudi airlines 
significant additional flexibility in serving and expanding 
the U.S. market, driven in part by politically important King 
Abdullah scholarships.  If we can get the wording right, we 
think Saudi Arabia will quickly accept the changes which will 
produce a very welcome sign of our mutual interest in 
deepening our relations.  End comment. 
QUINN