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DHL Opens Mideast's Largest Robotic Sorting Center in Israel

Workers stand at a DHL robotic package processing site in Lod, Israel January 11, 2022. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun
Workers stand at a DHL robotic package processing site in Lod, Israel January 11, 2022. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun
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DHL Opens Mideast's Largest Robotic Sorting Center in Israel

Workers stand at a DHL robotic package processing site in Lod, Israel January 11, 2022. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun
Workers stand at a DHL robotic package processing site in Lod, Israel January 11, 2022. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun

Courier services company DHL Express has opened the Middle East's largest robotic sorting center in central Israel, the company said on Wednesday.

Had it not made the 250 million shekel ($80 million) investment in the facility near Ben Gurion Airport, the company said it would not have been able to keep up with the pace of orders in Israel.

A hundred conveyor belts sort 20,000 packages an hour, roughly five times more than before, matching the most advanced centers in Europe, said Yair Bitton, CEO of DHL Express Israel.

A cargo plane can now be handled in 50 minutes instead of four hours, Reuters reported. The automated sorting system requires 70% less manpower, so employees have been trained for other roles, DHL said.

"When we planned this facility five years ago we thought this facility would be good for the next 20 years. Unfortunately, or fortunately, when finishing it we see that it's good maybe for the next five," Bitton said.

That has already led the company to explore other sites and solutions as well.

Israel's economy was expected to have grown about 7% in 2021 and was on course for a record year with recent data estimating exports - a key economic driver - reached as much as $140 billion, up 18% from the year before.

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Flynas Launches First Direct Flights Between Riyadh and Damascus After 12-Year Suspension

Representatives from flynas, Riyadh Airports Company, and Syria during the launch ceremony of the Riyadh–Damascus flight route. (flynas)
Representatives from flynas, Riyadh Airports Company, and Syria during the launch ceremony of the Riyadh–Damascus flight route. (flynas)
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Flynas Launches First Direct Flights Between Riyadh and Damascus After 12-Year Suspension

Representatives from flynas, Riyadh Airports Company, and Syria during the launch ceremony of the Riyadh–Damascus flight route. (flynas)
Representatives from flynas, Riyadh Airports Company, and Syria during the launch ceremony of the Riyadh–Damascus flight route. (flynas)

Saudi airline flynas has inaugurated direct flights between Riyadh and Damascus, becoming the first Saudi carrier to reconnect the two capitals after more than 12 years.

The move marks a significant milestone in the airline’s strategic expansion plan, launched under the slogan “Connecting the World to the Kingdom.”

The inaugural flight ceremony took place on Thursday at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, attended by Syrian chargé d’affaires in Riyadh Counselor Hussein Abdulaziz, along with representatives from flynas, Riyadh Airports Company, and various media outlets.

Passengers traveling on the first flight to Damascus were welcomed with gifts, and the aircraft was greeted with a traditional water salute upon landing at Damascus International Airport. The reception was attended by the Saudi chargé d’affaires in Syria, along with officials from the Syrian Civil Aviation Authority, Damascus Airport, and flynas.

According to a company statement, the relaunch of flights to Damascus reflects flynas’ commitment to strengthening Saudi-Syrian relations.

The airline had previously operated direct flights from Riyadh and Jeddah to several Syrian cities including Damascus, Aleppo, and Latakia.

The launch supports Saudi Arabia’s National Aviation Strategy, which aims to connect the Kingdom to 250 international destinations, handle 330 million passengers annually, and welcome 150 million tourists by 2030. It also aligns with the goals of the Pilgrim Experience Program, which facilitates easier access to the Two Holy Mosques.

Flynas currently operates 139 routes to over 70 domestic and international destinations across 30 countries, with more than 2,000 flights per week. Since its founding in 2007, the airline has served over 80 million passengers.

Under its expansion strategy, flynas aims to grow its network to 165 destinations, in line with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.