Saudia, the national flag carrier of Saudi Arabia, recently announced the launch of its first direct flights to Medan, Indonesia, marking its second destination in the country following Jakarta. With four weekly flights scheduled from Jeddah and Madinah to Medan, this expansion aligns with Saudia’s commitment to bring the world to Saudi Arabia and contribute to achieving the Saudi Vision 2030, particularly those related to serving pilgrims and visitors to the two holy mosques.
Saudi adds Medina-Medan route
Saudia celebrated the inaugural flight to Medan on August 31 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah. The event saw the attendance of the Indonesian ambassador to the Kingdom, Dr. Abdulaziz Ahmed, and the assistant vice-president of KSA sales at Saudia, Wail Basaffar, in addition to relevant stakeholders.
Saudia recently held a meeting with officials from Kualanamu International Airport in Medan to arrange for the operations and ensure readiness of services. The meeting aimed to provide the best solutions to ensure smooth airport traffic and procedures.
By adding Medina as a second destination in Saudi Arabia after Jeddah for the new Medan route, Saudia seeks to capitalize on the increasing demand. This move follows a recent agreement with Tibah Airports to increase operations and enhance the transport and service of Umrah and Hajj pilgrims as well as visitors to the Prophet’s mosque and Islamic historical sites.
Saudia has also committed to increasing its market share in the Hajj and Umrah sector, recognizing Indonesia as one of the largest Islamic markets for travel. These efforts also contribute to achieving the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030, aiming to host 30 million Umrah pilgrims by 2030.
Read: Saudi’s King Khalid International Airport handles record 3.5 million passengers in July 2024
Destination expansions propel growth
During the first half of 2024, Saudia transported over 9.1 million guests, reflecting a 24 percent increase from the previous year. The airline also conducted 42,000 flights, marking a 13 percent increase compared to the same period in 2023.
The expansion of Saudia’s destinations also aligns with its largest fleet modernization and growth program. The fleet currently includes 144 aircraft, with plans to add 103 more in the coming years. This comes in addition to numerous other initiatives that seek to enhance the guest travel experience using the latest advancements in aviation.
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