RIYADH- British Airways (BA) is set to resume flights from London Heathrow (LHR) to Jeddah (JED) after a five-year break, aiming to boost connectivity to the Kingdom, the airline announced.
Revealed at the GREAT Futures Initiative Conference in Riyadh, the new route will start on November 4, offering year-round service from London Heathrow to the Saudi city, according to a press release.
British Airways London-Jeddah Flight
The service will operate four flights per week using the Boeing 787 fleet and will complement the daily flights between Riyadh (RUH) and Heathrow.
Colm Lacy, British Airways’ chief commercial officer, said at the event: “We have a long history of connecting families, friends, and businesses in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with our home in London.”
He added: “There are significant opportunities for businesses in both countries, so we’re pleased to rebuild our connectivity and strengthen links between the two kingdoms.”
Enhanced Connectivity to Support Saudi Vision
In a joint statement, Mazen Johar, CEO of Jeddah Airports, and Majid Khan, CEO of the Saudi Air Connectivity Program, expressed their enthusiasm: “The return of the UK’s flag carrier to Jeddah, with new flights from London Heathrow, will further enhance our air connectivity from the capital.”
They continued: “With British Airways’ extensive network in the UK, Europe, and North America, travelers can explore the untouched wonders of Saudi Arabia through one of the leading global carriers, supporting our growing inbound tourism and aviation market.”
Earlier this week, the Kingdom’s General Authority of Civil Aviation announced that a comprehensive roadmap for a tenfold growth in Saudi Arabia’s aviation sector, projected to become a $2 billion industry, will be unveiled at the Future Aviation Forum in May.
These plans include the business jet segment, covering charter, private, and corporate aircraft, and aim to position Saudi Arabia as a global high-value enterprise and tourist destination, the statement added.
Expecting 150 Million Travelers
The announcement also highlighted that Saudi Arabia revised its 2030 tourism target from 100 million to 150 million visitors in October 2023.
Additionally, the Kingdom’s Minister of Commerce revealed that partnerships between Saudi Arabia and the UK now include over 60 initiatives across 13 sectors, with trade between the two countries increasing by a third since 2018.
During the opening remarks of the GREAT Futures Initiative Conference, Majid Al-Qasabi noted that bilateral trade surged between 2018 and 2023, exceeding £79 billion ($99.12 billion).
He emphasized that with over 1,100 active licenses for UK investors, developments such as the giga-projects in the Kingdom and policy reforms are significantly enhancing business opportunities.
Return to Abu Dhabi
In April 2024, British Airways resumed its service from London Heathrow to Abu Dhabi (AUH) this morning as it landed at Zayed International Airport. Customers and crew received a warm welcome following a four-year hiatus of the route.
British Airways will operate a daily flight from London to Abu Dhabi all year round, using Boeing 787-9 during the summer of 2024.
Flight BA073 to Abu Dhabi departs London Heathrow at 22:25, arriving in Abu Dhabi at 08:30+1. The inbound flight to London (BA072) departs at 10:10, arriving at London Heathrow at 15:20.
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