Saudi Arabia plans new national airline

On 29 June, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia has announced plans to launch a second national airline that would operate next to Saudia. The new airline is part of the country's 2030 plan to diversify its economy away from oil and establish itself as a regional logistics hub.

Further details and timelines are currently unknown. What is known is that the country aims to establish links with 250 international destinations and that the new airline would also secure the doubling of cargo capacity to 4.5 tonnes. If succesful, the two national airlines would become a rival to Middle-Eastern powerhouse Emirates.

Saudia, which was founded in 1975, currently serves more than 130 destinations with its fleet of 158 aircraft. It also has a low-cost subsidiary, Flyadeal, which operates twelve aircraft to eleven destinations. The national carrier has, however, been struggling with profitability over the years and has been severly impacted by the Corona-pandemic.

Photo by Anton Homma.