Flyadeal Adds Five Routes From New Madinah Base

flyadeal, Saudi Arabia’s fast-growing low-cost airline, has rung in the New Year in emphatic style launching five routes from Madinah, its newest operational base in the Kingdom.

The introduction of scheduled flights to SabihaGökçen in Istanbul and fourdomestic cities of Abha, Al Hofuf,Jazan and Tabuk, takes the number of flyadealdestinations from Madinah’s Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport up from three to eight.Until now, flyadeal had served Dammam, Riyadh and the Egyptian capital Cairo from the Holy city.

The capacity hike represents a 40 per cent increase in the number of flyadeal operated flights out of Madinahto 88 a week, giving customers greater travel options. Two aircraft are now permanently positioned at the airport, which joins flyadeal’s three other operational bases of Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam.

To mark the expansion, airport officials joinedflyadeal management led by Chief Commercial and Customer Officer Rogier van Enk, for a fanfare of engaging activities celebrating with passengers.

Steven Greenway, flyadeal Chief Executive Officer, said: “We’ve steadily built capacity from Madinah, but this expansion of five new routes at the beginning of the year is a statement of intent from flyadeal to develop Madinah into one of our key operational bases.

“Having aircraft positioned in Madinah gives us the flexibility to quickly upgrade with more frequencies or add routes to a schedule which will continue to be built up giving our customers more choices and convenience of direct flights to travel within the Kingdom and beyond. Madinah was a natural addition as a base given its prominence as the second holiest city in the Islamic world and key gateway for pilgrims.”

The expanded schedule supplements flyadeal’s dedicated year-round Umrah flights from several countries direct to Madinah, north of the Saudi port city of Jeddah.

Rogier van Enk, flyadealChief Commercial and Customer Officer, said: “The additional routes aim to cater to both outbound travel for holidaymakers and business travellers living and working in and around Madinah, while also attractinginbound pilgrimages. Mycommercial team and I look forward to continue working with the authorities at Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport to explore more opportunities building air travel connectivity in line with Saudi Vision 2030.”

flyadeal’s additional routes support an already high demand operation from Madinah. Daily Cairo flights are now being served 11 times a week; frequency on the Dammam route is up from 19 to 26 flights each week; and Riyadh maintains a five-times daily schedule.

The new domestic routes serve different parts of the Kingdom – southwest coastal city of Jazan; Tabuk in the northwest; Al Hofuf in the country’s Eastern Province; and Abha in the southwestern mountainous region of Aseer province.

Almost 60 per centof flyadeal’s 44-strong narrowbody fleet of Airbus A320sis based at King Khalid International Airport in the Saudi capital Riyadh; 11 aircraftare positioned at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah; five at Dammam’s King Fahd International Airport; and now two in Madinah.

flyadeal’s growth strategy includes its fleet topping 100 aircraft by 2030 and network more than tripling to over 100 destinations within five years.

Tickets for the new Madinah routes are on sale, bookable via flyadeal’s Mobile App, website www.flyadeal.com and through travel agents.