Aviation360 MEA

Saudia, the national flag carrier of Saudia Arabia (KSA), has announced the addition of Medan to its scheduled and regular flight network, making it the second destination in the Republic of Indonesia after the capital, Jakarta. 

The airline has allocated four weekly flights in both directions between Medan, Jeddah and Medina, with operations starting on August 31. This step is part of its expansion efforts to connect the world with the Kingdom and to serve diverse guest segments.

A meeting was recently held between Saudia and officials from Kualanamu International Airport in Medan to arrange for the operations and ensure readiness of services. The goal is to provide the best solutions to ensure smooth airport traffic and procedures.

By adding Medina as a second destination in the Kingdom after Jeddah for the new Medan route, Saudia seeks to capitalise on the increasing demand. 

This move follows a recent agreement with Tibah Airports to increase operations and enhance the transport and service of Umrah and Hajj pilgrims, as well as visitors to the Prophet’s Mosque and Islamic historical sites.

Saudia is committed to increasing its market share in the Hajj and Umrah sector, recognising Indonesia as one of the largest Islamic markets for travel. These efforts also contribute to achieving the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030, aiming to host 30 million Umrah pilgrims by 2030.

The expansion of Saudia’s destinations aligns with its largest fleet modernisation and growth program. The fleet currently includes 144 aircraft, with plans to add 103 more in the coming years. This is complemented by numerous other initiatives aimed at enhancing the guest travel experience using the latest advancements in aviation.

Recently, the national airline also topped the list of all airlines worldwide with an 88.22 percent on-time arrival rate in June, according to latest data from the independent aviation tracking website Cirium.