RIYADH: Saudi Arabian Airlines, known as SAUDIA, carried 5.1 million passengers during the first quarter of 2022, representing a 75 percent increase compared to the same quarter the year earlier.
During the first quarter of 2022, the Kingdom’s national flag carrier operated over 40,000 flights, an increase of 44 percent compared to the corresponding quarter in 2021, according to its performance report.
SAUDIA plans to add extra flights and seats to cater to the increasing demand.
“As the momentum for travel continues to build, we will increase frequencies and introduce new destinations on our network during 2022,” said Ibrahim Al-Omar, director general.
“This strategy is especially important in light of the Kingdom’s megaprojects and transformation agenda for the tourism industry, as we continue to serve as the ‘Wings of Vision 2030’ and welcome the world to Saudi Arabia,” he added.
The increase in the airline’s passenger numbers has been driven by the Kingdom’s entertainment and cultural events during the first three months of 2022, the company said in a statement.
The airline recently announced several new destinations including Bangkok, Barcelona, Malaga, Marrakech, Moscow, Seoul, Entebbe, Amsterdam, Chicago and Mykonos.
