Saudia Targets Birmingham as Part of International Expansion

Flights from Birmingham to Saudi Arabia are to be introduced as part of expansion plans by state carrier Saudia.

One of four new international routes announced by the Saudi national flag airline is the new route to the UK.

Flight frequency and the debut date from Birmingham Airport were not kept a secret.

As part of a partnership with the Saudi Air Connectivity Program, Saudia also intends to launch service to Beijing, Johannesburg, and Kano in Nigeria (ACP).

Ali Rajab, chief executive of ACP, said: “The opening of four new air routes across three different regions is the result of strong collaboration between the Saudi tourism and aviation ecosystems.

“Air connectivity will play an increasingly important role in enabling tourism growth and creating new opportunities for businesses and tourists alike. We look forward to building on this momentum to unlock new destinations.”

Saudi Tourism Authority chief executive Fahd Hamidaddin said: “Today’s announcement of four new routes demonstrates the power of the tourism ecosystem to work with airline partners to bring new capacity online.

“Through cross-government collaboration, we are continuing to build ease and connectivity to transform Saudi into a top tourism destination and meet our ambitious target to welcome 100 million visits by 2030.

“This is significant as direct flight options are not only good news for international travellers but also create growth, opportunity, and investment in Saudi and across the world.”