The International Air Transport Association (IATA) air connectivity index ranked the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia thirteenth in 2023, up from twenty-seventh in 2019, a 14-place jump in the classification of over 200 countries. It attained a record high due to its flight connections to 131 destinations. Saudi Arabia aspires to foster a favourable environment for global investment and to spearhead the future of aviation, ruling the Middle East region and increasing its GDP contribution. In addition, the Kingdom seeks to establish itself as a logistical gateway connecting three continents and a global hub for air transport and goods.
The Kingdom’s 94.4% score in the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) safety audit report and its seventh-place ranking among Group of Twenty (G20) nations in aviation safety are among the Kingdom’s significant achievements in its economic diversification voyage. In the first four months of 2023, Saudi aviation traffic increased by 42% when compared to the same period in the previous year. This expansion is part of the Kingdom’s ambitious Vision 2030, which seeks to attract 100 million tourists by 2030. Ease of access and connectivity will help transform the country into a leading tourist destination.
New SAUDIA London Gatwick and Birmingham to Jeddah flights
As part of a collaboration with the Saudi Air Connectivity Programme (ACP) and the Saudi Tourism Authority (STA), the national airline of Saudi Arabia, SAUDIA, will offer new flights from London Gatwick and Birmingham to Jeddah this summer. Jeddah to Gatwick: 09:05-13:30 (6h 25m); Gatwick to Jeddah: 14:55-23:05 (6h 10m). Jeddah to Birmingham: 08:10-13:00 (6h 20m); Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays; Birmingham to Jeddah: 14:30-22:40 (6h 10m); Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. These new direct flight routes are a response to the increase in traveller demand in the United Kingdom. With the inclusion of these routes, SAUDIA will serve four UK airports, Birmingham, London Heathrow, London Gatwick, and Manchester, with 45 weekly flights.
In addition, SAUDIA is paving the way for the future of aviation with a new partnership with the AI company Accenture, which will personalise the visitor experience and increase operational efficiency. More than 260 new digital and electronic services will be developed by SAUDIA over the next couple of years, facilitated by the incorporation of AI technologies.
Source: traveldailymedia