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Saudi-British Air Connectivity Expands with New Virgin Airlines Route

The agreement was signed in the presence of Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb. (Photo: Turki Al-Aqili)
The agreement was signed in the presence of Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb. (Photo: Turki Al-Aqili)
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Saudi-British Air Connectivity Expands with New Virgin Airlines Route

The agreement was signed in the presence of Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb. (Photo: Turki Al-Aqili)
The agreement was signed in the presence of Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb. (Photo: Turki Al-Aqili)

Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom are set to launch a direct route connecting Riyadh and London, following the signing of a cooperation agreement between the Air Connectivity Program and Virgin Atlantic.

The agreement, which was signed on Monday in Riyadh in the presence of Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb, aims to enhance air connectivity between the two kingdoms, facilitating access to various cities in Saudi Arabia. The route will operate daily between London Heathrow Airport and King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh starting in March 2025, using Airbus A330 aircraft.

Virgin Atlantic’s entry into the Saudi market marks the tenth airline to collaborate with the Air Connectivity Program since the beginning of 2024.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, Majed Khan, the CEO of the Air Connectivity Program said that the agreement will help bring visitors to and from Riyadh and other areas of Saudi Arabia, such as Jeddah, Dammam, and Madinah as major cities, and then to the Red Sea, Jazan, and Al-Baha, supporting the national tourism strategy.

He further explained that Virgin Atlantic’s direct flights between London and Riyadh will support the growth of inbound international tourism from the UK and North America’s airline network.

As a member of the SkyTeam alliance, Virgin Atlantic will enhance air connectivity alongside Saudi Arabia’s national carrier, Saudia Airlines, between Riyadh, London, and other destinations within the network.

Virgin Atlantic CEO Shai Weiss told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Kingdom is experiencing rapid growth driven by Vision 2030, noting that he looks forward to introducing UK customers to Saudi Arabia’s rich culture, heritage, and commercial hub.

Weiss noted that the new services will offer great opportunities for connecting friends, relatives, and businesses, not only within the UK but also in the US, thanks to the partnership with Delta Airlines.

He continued that the agreement will boost the codeshare with its SkyTeam partner, Saudia, further expanding connectivity across the region and beyond while offering new benefits to frequent customers.

Weiss also highlighted the positive impact this step will have in attracting more tourists to Saudi Arabia, which is developing its tourism industry.

Virgin Atlantic, which has a fleet of 45 wide-body aircraft, announced last month the purchase of seven additional Airbus aircraft.

The Air Connectivity Program aims to boost tourism growth in the Kingdom by enhancing connections between Saudi Arabia and the world, through the development of current and potential air routes.

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Tesla's China Sales Have Best Month of the Year in August

FILE PHOTO: A staff member attends to customers inside a Tesla Model Y car at a showroom of the US electric vehicle (EV) maker in Beijing, China, Feb. 4, 2023. REUTERS/Florence Lo/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A staff member attends to customers inside a Tesla Model Y car at a showroom of the US electric vehicle (EV) maker in Beijing, China, Feb. 4, 2023. REUTERS/Florence Lo/File Photo
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Tesla's China Sales Have Best Month of the Year in August

FILE PHOTO: A staff member attends to customers inside a Tesla Model Y car at a showroom of the US electric vehicle (EV) maker in Beijing, China, Feb. 4, 2023. REUTERS/Florence Lo/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A staff member attends to customers inside a Tesla Model Y car at a showroom of the US electric vehicle (EV) maker in Beijing, China, Feb. 4, 2023. REUTERS/Florence Lo/File Photo

Tesla's sales in China logged their best month for the year so far in August, with the US electric vehicle maker benefiting from brisk sales in smaller cities.
Tesla said it sold more than 63,000 cars in the world's biggest auto market last month, a hefty 37% jump from July, but probably still down from August last year when it sold 64,694.
While an encouraging improvement, its performance lags major Chinese rivals by a wide margin.
BYD, the world's biggest EV maker, said its China passenger vehicle sales surged 35% in August from a year earlier to a record monthly high of 370,854. Other local EV competitors including Leapmotor and Li Auto also reported higher sales.
Like many other automakers, Tesla has been badly bruised by a protracted price war in China where economic growth has also been sluggish and consumer confidence fragile. Its China sales declined 5% for the first half of the year.
Although Tesla has cut its local sales force as part of a global downsizing, a number of factors have helped recent sales momentum.
Tesla has since April offered zero-interest loans of up to five years for buyers, while several local governments have made its cars eligible for official car purchases in recent weeks.
It also received a key regulatory nod earlier this year, with the country's top auto industry association saying that data collection by Tesla vehicles was compliant with regulations, allowing Tesla cars to enter some government compounds that they used to be banned from.
An analysis by China Merchants Bank International of Tesla's China sales in July showed a 78% year-on-year increase in deliveries in so-called tier-three cities while its sales in second-tier cities such as Hangzhou and Nanjing rose 47%.
Separate data from the China Passenger Car Association for Tesla China-made vehicles which includes exports showed sales grew 3% in August from a year earlier to 86,697 units.
Deliveries of its China-made Model 3 and Model Y vehicles rose 17% from July.
Tesla plans to produce a six-seat variant of its Model Y car in China from late 2025, two people with direct knowledge of the matter said. The move is aimed at increasing the appeal of its best-selling yet aging EV.