Riyadh Air launched flights between Manchester and Riyadh, making the airport its fourth European destination and 14th worldwide, Manchester Airport said on September 7.
The service runs three times a week on a 290-seat Boeing 787-9 with four cabin classes, and is Manchester’s second link to Saudi Arabia after Saudia’s flights to Jeddah. The Public Investment Fund-owned carrier began commercial operations on June 10 with a London Heathrow service brought forward from July 1 after early Dreamliner deliveries, and is targeting more than 100 destinations across six continents by 2030 from an order of 72 787s.
The route gives passengers in northern England onward connections across Riyadh Air’s network into Africa and Asia, and is expected to support inbound tourism to the region.
Manchester is a key gateway from which guests can reach cities in the Middle East and Asia, said Tony Douglas, chief executive of Riyadh Air, describing it also as a cultural destination for visitors from across the carrier’s network.
Chris Woodroofe, Managing Director of Manchester Airport, said:
“We’re proud to connect people from across the North with destinations across the planet, so having a new route to a major global city like Riyadh is a big moment for us.
“What makes this even more special is that an ambitious airline like Riyadh Air has selected Manchester as one of its first European destinations – showing the appeal of Manchester and the North as a destination, but also indicating the strength of demand for long-haul travel from the North.
“That is something we now have more capacity to meet than ever before, thanks to our decade-long, £1.5bn transformation of Terminal 2. Whether they’re travelling to Manchester from or via Riyadh, travelling to Saudi Arabia, or connecting onwards to other parts of Asia, Africa or Australasia, passengers travelling with Riyadh Air from Manchester can be assured of a world-class experience – both at the airport, and with the airline.”
Tony Douglas, CEO at Riyadh Air said:
“It’s incredibly exciting to be launching our inaugural flight to Manchester, our second destination in the UK and 14th worldwide. Manchester is a key gateway from where our guests can fly to cities in the Middle East and Asia in addition to being a popular cultural destination for visitors from across our growing network. We look forward to welcoming guests to fly on our modern, premium aircraft and experiencing genuine Saudi hospitality, known locally as Hafawa.”
Saudi nationals travel to the UK in large numbers for business and leisure, with football clubs among the main draws and universities in the region popular with Saudi students.