Arab News
Arab News, Wed, Apr 02, 2025 | Shawwal 4, 1446
Saudia launches direct flights to Bali
Saudi Arabia:
Saudia has launched a scheduled service to
Bali with three weekly flights from Jeddah, marking the airline’s second regular
destination in Indonesia after Jakarta.
The inaugural flight, SV856, departed from King
Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah on March 31, operated by a Boeing B787
Dreamliner.
Saudia stated in a release that flight
times have been coordinated to connect with its wider domestic and international
network, as well as with services operated by members of the SkyTeam alliance.
The addition of Bali is part of a broader plan
announced in February to introduce 11 new destinations in 2025, including
Vienna, Venice, and Larnaca, as well as Athens, Heraklion, Nice, Malaga, and El-Alamein.
The expansion comes as the airline posted a 16
percent year-on-year increase in international passenger traffic in 2024 —
growth that aligns with Saudi Arabia’s National Tourism Strategy, which targets
150 million visitors annually by 2030, and aims to create 1.6 million jobs.
Saudia is working to enhance its
competitive position and international connectivity by adding both scheduled and
seasonal destinations, the release stated.
The Bali route will be served by its Boeing B787
Dreamliner aircraft, which features advanced technologies, in-flight
entertainment tailored for a wide range of passengers, spacious seating, and
other onboard services.
Currently operating a fleet of 147 aircraft from
Boeing and Airbus, Saudia plans to expand capacity and route coverage with the
addition of 118 new planes.
As part of its 2025 network expansion strategy,
Saudia also plans to add Antalya in Turkiye and Salalah in Oman, increasing its
global footprint to over 100 destinations across four continents.
The move supports the Kingdom’s Air Connectivity
Program, which has introduced more than 60 new direct routes since its launch in
2021.
With more than 530 daily flights, Saudia’s ongoing
international development plan aims to increase its global market share and
strengthen connectivity between Saudi Arabia and the world.
According to the General Authority of Civil
Aviation, flight operations in the Kingdom reached approximately 905,000 in
2024, reflecting an 11 percent year-on-year increase.
This included 474,000 domestic flights and 431,000
international flights. Air connectivity expanded by 20 percent, linking Saudi
Arabia to over 170 destinations worldwide.