The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has approved the establishment of a unified civil aviation authority.
GCC Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Al Budaiwi announced the decision at the 46th GCC Summit in Bahrain on Wednesday, sharing that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been selected as the headquarters for the new GCC aviation authority.
At a meeting in Kuwait City last month, the GCC Executive Committee for Civil Aviation recommended setting up a unified civil aviation authority and submitted the proposal to the GCC Supreme Council for approval.
The objectives of the Gulf Civil Aviation Authority include greater economic integration and international presence, with the aim of providing tangible benefits for travelers and carriers. It is anticipated that the harmonization of technical standards and policies will enhance safety and improve efficiency for airlines, potentially leading to lower fares.
There are over 23 international airports and 17 national airlines in operation in the GCC countries. In 2023, the GCC airlines carried a total of 68 million passengers and six of the national airlines ranked among the top 50 airlines in the world for 2024.
In another significant milestone, the pilot phase of the GCC one-stop travel system between the UAE and Bahrain was launched earlier this week. The new system allows GCC nationals to cross borders without repeating entry procedures by streamlining the process through a single checkpoint.
The system is expected to make entry into the countries more seamless for travelers, with plans to expand to other member states if the initial rollout is successful.