Low-cost carrier flydubai is to launch flights to Jeddah and Riyadh from the start of May, increasing the number of destinations it serves in Saudi Arabia to five; the airline already has services to Abha, Gassim and Yanbu. The new links to the twin-centres of Saudi Arabia's administrative, financial and commercial activities will commence from May 1 with a daily schedule to Riyadh and four flights per week to Jeddah.
An estimated 1.5 million O&D passengers travelled between United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia on scheduled services in the past year, with Saudi Arabian Airlines (40.7 per cent ) and Emirates Airline (24.0 per cent) dominating the market. flydubai accounted for just 1.3 per cent of this traffic, carrying an estimated 9,200 passengers.
The demand on these two new routes is large as the two cities are of prime importance to the region. Around 382,000 O&D passengers flew between Dubai and Jeddah in the past year and approximately 415,000 between Dubai and Riyadh. Saudi Arabia is the top export destination for Dubai, especially for products such as electrical equipment and mineral fuels. Trade relationships between the two nations are expected to increase, with improvements in non-oil foreign trade across the Middle East.
“We look forward to playing our part in strengthening an already strong relationship between the UAE and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with these new flights and we hope to continue to offer travellers between our two nations a quality, affordable travel option for many years to come," said Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer, flydubai.
Home to the headquarters of several global organizations, Jeddah is considered one of the top commercial centres of the Middle East. With a population of over 3.4 million, and the largest sea port on the Red Sea, the 'boom town' has experienced a 21st century transformation. Meanwhile, as the largest city in Saudi Arabia, Riyadh is home to seven million residents and a flourishing industrial economy, with some of the world's largest crude oil factories. The dynamic metropolis is also known for its 4,300 mosques, cultural museums and contemporary architecture.
flydubai is one of a number of Gulf airlines looking at potentially opening domestic flights within Saudi Arabia. The country’s Shoura Council said earlier this month, according to local sources, that it would consider allowing Gulf airlines to fly domestic routes in the country in a bid to improve services.
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