Saudia to resume direct flights to Los Angeles and Manchester from Jeddah

Saudi airline Saudia has announced that it will resume direct regular flights from Jeddah to Los Angeles and Manchester starting from December.

The routes were suspended almost 18 months ago due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Both direct nonstop routes will operate from Jeddah thrice weekly, a statement said.

Flights to Los Angeles will begin on December 11, and will operate on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays using a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.

Meanwhile flights between Jeddah and Manchester will resume on December 15 using a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner configured in two classes. The route will operate on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.

All passengers will need to present proof of being fully vaccinated against Covid-19 and are not required to quarantine upon their arrival in both the US and UK.

Saudia has been gradually increasing its network after Saudi Arabia eased all its pandemic restrictions and reopened its borders.

Earlier this month, the airline’s CEO Ibrahim Koshy confirmed that the Saudia Group plans to expand its network from 91 stations in 2019 to 200 stations with new destinations in the pipeline, including recent additions such as South Korea and Vietnam.

The airline is also contemplating an aircraft order from Airbus or Boeing that could total above 100 jets, Koshy told Bloomberg at the Dubai Airshow earlier this month.

The carrier is targeting a fleet of 250 aircraft by 2030, adding around 100 for growth while also renewing some of its existing 150-plane fleet.

Deliveries would most likely come beyond 2024 once demand is more fully recovered from Covid-19, he said.

Read more: Saudia weighs bumper jetliner order to reach 250-strong fleet