Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has recently announced expanding the target of Vision 2030 strategy in the tourism sector to reach 150 million visitors annually.
In this regard, Asharq Al-Awsat asked the Saudi airline companies about their preparations to meet this objective and the possibility of receiving this volume of passengers in the next stage.
The Saudi government is intensifying its efforts to develop the air transport sector, locally and internationally, and has adopted several strategies that enable it to reach its goals. The Public Investment Fund (PIF) established the Riyadh Air company, which in turn will contribute to achieving the new strategy set by the Crown Prince.
In comments to Asharq Al-Awsat, Saudi Airlines talked about the company’s current and future plans to expand to international destinations and increase the size of the aircraft fleet.
The company noted that the national strategy for transport and logistics services contributes to developing the air transport sector and transforming the Kingdom into a center for connecting three continents through 149 international destinations.
The General Manager of Corporate Communications and official spokesman for Saudi Airlines, Eng. Abdullah bin Mohammad Al-Shahrani, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the airlines achieved outstanding rates based on the operational performance report for the past year, pointing to a growth of 21 percent from 2022.
He added that Saudi Airlines operated more than 176,000 flights and achieved a growth of 36 percent in the number of international passengers.
“The group announced a year ago the purchase of 49 Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, and will soon announce another major deal,” he underlined, stressing that these expansion plans aim to contribute to achieving the Kingdom’s targeted number of 150 million visitors.
For its part, Flynas, the Saudi economic air carrier, revealed a purchase order for 120 aircraft in the coming years, which will enhance the continued growth in the size of the fleet.
Flynas - the fourth best low-cost airline in the world in 2023 and the best airline in the Middle East in its category for six consecutive years - announced the approval of its Board of Directors to increase new orders to 250 aircraft, with the aim to expand the company, in line with the strategy of the National Civil Aviation Authority.
Flynas witnessed unprecedented rates of growth during the past year, as it recorded a historic rise in the number of passengers to more than 11.1 million, with a growth rate exceeding 28 percent compared to 2022. The company also registered an increase in seat capacity by 22 percent and the fleet size by 35 percent, in addition to inaugurating and launching 57 new destinations within one year.
For its part, Flyadeal, the economic arm of the Saudi Airlines, recently announced that the number of passengers on board its fleet of 32 aircraft has reached 25 million, with the addition of about 13 international destinations since the company’s launch in 2017.
