
British Airways adds more flights on Riyadh-London sector
The new flight additions will operate nearly every day of the week (excluding Tuesdays), strategically timed to offer customers more flexibility for onward connections within British Airways' extensive global network from London Heathrow to more than 200 destinations, said the airline in a statement.
The airline consistently has Arabic speaking cabin crew on its flights to and from Riyadh enabling them to offer a more comfortable and personalised experience on board, reinforcing the airline's deep understanding of its Saudi Arabian customers' requirements, it stated.
The new flight took off yesterday (March 30) from King Khalid International Airport, strategically timed to offer customers more flexibility for onward connections within British Airways' extensive global network from London Heathrow to more than 200 destinations, said the airline in a statement.
The customers will benefit from nearly double the number of flights, with more than 80,000 additional seats versus last year.
This expansion will strengthen connections between the UK and Saudi Arabia, supporting growing demand from both business and leisure travellers, who can now take advantage of the added frequencies for business trips, family getaways or reconnecting with loved ones, it stated.
British Airways' Chief Planning and Strategy Officer, Neil Chernoff, said: "We are delighted to be increasing our services from Riyadh to London Heathrow, giving customers more options to travel between both regions, connecting families, friends and businesses."
"With fares starting from SAR1956 onwards, travellers will have the option to choose from British Airways' four-cabin configuration, First, Club World (business class), World Traveller Plus (premium economy), and World Traveller (economy), ensuring a tailored experience to suit every travel preference and budget, all while enjoying world-class service and comfort," he stated.
"This addition to our schedule not only benefits our many business and leisure customers, but also strengthens our long-standing connection and cultural ties between both two kingdoms, and we look forward to welcoming our customers on board this year," he added.
Copyright 2024 Al Hilal Publishing and Marketing Group Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Zawya
9 hours ago
- Zawya
Kuwait Airport hits new low, worst performance in GCC
KUWAIT CITY - Kuwait International Airport has found itself at the very bottom of Gulf aviation rankings, marking a worrying decline in passenger traffic that contrasts sharply with surging growth at neighbouring hubs like Dubai, Riyadh, and Abu Dhabi. According to informed sources, the airport recorded just 7.4 million passengers in the first half of 2025 (a 3% drop from the same period last year), making it the only Gulf airport to witness a decline in traffic. This performance stands in stark contrast to regional counterparts, most of which have reported steady to record-breaking growth. Gulf Soars, Kuwait Stalls In Dubai, passenger numbers reached a historic high of 46 million, up by 2.3%, while Abu Dhabi Airport led regional growth with a 13% jump to 15.8 million. Even smaller airports like Bahrain and Muscat saw modest increases of 1.5% and 2%, respectively. But Kuwait Airport — once a serious contender among regional aviation hubs — is now grappling with stagnation, infrastructural woes, and airline pullouts that experts say are undermining its role in Kuwait's Vision 2035, a national plan to transform the country into a financial and commercial powerhouse. British Airways Exit Sends Alarming Signal Industry insiders point to a string of high-profile airline withdrawals as a key factor in the airport's decline. In a major blow earlier this year, British Airways abruptly suspended its direct flights to Kuwait in March, following in the footsteps of Lufthansa and KLM, who exited for similar reasons. Although British Airways had initially announced the suspension of flights to both Kuwait and Bahrain, swift action by Bahraini authorities led the airline to reverse its decision regarding Bahrain. Kuwait, however, failed to respond with the same urgency — and the route remains closed. This lack of responsiveness, say sources, is indicative of a broader institutional sluggishness that has plagued Kuwait's aviation sector. Red Tape, Infrastructure Woes and Missed Opportunities Experts warn that the troubles run deeper than just airline exits. National carriers have been restricted from expanding their operations in the past year, limiting Kuwait's ability to compete. Slow decision-making has hampered efforts to attract airlines or renew operating contracts, leaving investors and aviation partners in the dark. Outdated airport infrastructure continues to frustrate carriers, with some reporting aircraft damage from flying gravel, delays caused by overcrowded facilities, and jet fuel prices higher than at other Gulf airports. Vision 2035 at Risk? With Vision 2035 at stake — a bold plan to position Kuwait as a regional investment and transit hub — aviation experts are calling on the government to radically rethink its strategy. Sources say the airport is meant to serve as the 'gateway' to the country's development ambitions, but current performance is "wildly inconsistent" with those goals. 'There's too much reliance on a single authority — the General Authority of Civil Aviation,' said one source. 'Kuwait needs to broaden the conversation, include other credible entities, and urgently implement a practical, time-bound action plan to reverse this trend.' The Numbers Speak Here's how Kuwait stacks up against its neighbours in the first half of 2025: Airport Passengers Passengers (H1 2025) % Change YoY Dubai International 46 million +2.3% Hamad (Doha) 25.9 million +1.5% King Abdulaziz (Riyadh) 25.5 million +6.8% Abu Dhabi International 15.8 million +13% Kuwait International 7.4 million -3% Bahrain International 4.6 million +1.5% Muscat International 1.1 million +2% A Call to Action As the Gulf continues to surge ahead with modern aviation strategies, Kuwait risks being left behind unless urgent reforms are made. Industry insiders stress that time is running out to restore the airport's reputation and align it with the nation's ambitious development goals. With the region's skies getting busier — and more competitive — Kuwait's ability to reclaim its place among the Gulf's elite airports will depend on decisive leadership, rapid reform, and a clear roadmap for recovery. Arab Times | © Copyright 2024, All Rights Reserved Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (


Gulf Today
a day ago
- Gulf Today
NMO head ramps up cooperation in media fields
Abdulla Bin Mohammed Bin Butti Al Hamed, Chairman of the UAE National Media Office and Chairman of the UAE Media Council, visited Huawei's Research and Development Centre in Shanghai as part of the preparatory tour for the "BRIDGE 2025" Summit – the largest platform uniting media, cultural and creative content creators, leaders, and decision-makers to transform how the world communicates, set to take place in Abu Dhabi from 8–10 December 2025. He was accompanied by Dr Jamal Mohammed Al Kaabi, Director-General of the UAE National Media Office, which reflects a commitment to exploring opportunities that shape the future of media, combining advanced technologies with a human-centred vision. The delegation was welcomed by several Huawei executives, led by Lv Yang Ming, President of the Huawei Cloud Media Service Product Department; Lu Zhen Yu, Expert in Huawei Cloud Media Service Products; Wharton Huang, Vice President of Government & Enterprise, Huawei Cloud UAE; and Lewis Tan, Head of Strategy and Marketing, Huawei Cloud UAE. The UAE officials held several meetings with Huawei's leadership team to discuss cooperation in the fields of media, AI solutions, and their applications in digital broadcasting, big data, and 5G services. During the discussions, Abdulla Al Hamed highlighted the importance of building bridges of cooperation between UAE media institutions and international developers to deliver intelligent media solutions that support the Arabic language, promote knowledge exchange, and expand collaboration in digital broadcasting, smart education, and interactive platforms. The visit included a tour of the Huawei Lianqiu Lake R&D Centre, which showcases their latest innovations in media and smart education. Abdulla Al Hamed has noted that the BRIDGE Summit is a strategic incubator for responsible cooperation, and will serve as an open laboratory for developing new partnership models and joint investments that will shape the future of media, not only as a profession but as a driver of innovation and an effective tool for achieving sustainable development. It is worth noting that the Shanghai visit is one of the preparatory stops for the anticipated "BRIDGE 2025" Summit in Abu Dhabi, which will bring together decision-makers in media, technology leaders, and cultural and economic influencers in a space aimed at shaping a more balanced, innovative, and human-centred media future.


Al Etihad
a day ago
- Al Etihad
Abdulla Al Hamed visits Huawei's R&D Centre in Shanghai
3 Aug 2025 14:09 SHANGHAI (WAM) Abdulla bin Mohammed bin Butti Al Hamed, Chairman of the UAE National Media Office and Chairman of the UAE Media Council, visited Huawei's Research and Development Centre in Shanghai as part of the preparatory tour for the BRIDGE 2025 Summit - the largest platform uniting media, cultural and creative content creators, leaders, and decision-makers to transform how the world communicates, set to take place in Abu Dhabi from December 8–10, He was accompanied by Dr Jamal Mohammed Al Kaabi, Director-General of the UAE National Media Office, with the visit reflecting a commitment to exploring opportunities that shape the future of media, and of combining advanced technologies with a human-centred vision. The delegation was welcomed by several Huawei executives, led by Lv Yang Ming, President of the Huawei Cloud Media Service Product Department; Lu Zhen Yu, Expert in Huawei Cloud Media Service Products; Wharton Huang, Vice President of Government & Enterprise, Huawei Cloud UAE; and Lewis Tan, Head of Strategy and Marketing, Huawei Cloud UAE officials held several meetings with Huawei's leadership team to discuss cooperation in the fields of media, AI solutions, and their applications in digital broadcasting, big data, and 5G the discussions, Abdulla Al Hamed highlighted the importance of building bridges of cooperation between the UAE media institutions and international developers to deliver intelligent media solutions that support the Arabic language, promote knowledge exchange, and expand collaboration in digital broadcasting, smart education, and interactive visit included a tour of the Huawei Lianqiu Lake R&D Centre, which showcased its latest innovations in media and smart Hamed has noted that the BRIDGE Summit is a strategic incubator for responsible cooperation, and will serve as an open laboratory for developing new partnership models and joint investments shaping the future of media as a profession, of media as a driver of innovation, and as an effective tool for achieving sustainable development. The Shanghai visit is one of the preparatory stops for the anticipated BRIDGE 2025 Summit in Abu Dhabi, which will bring together decision-makers in media, technology leaders, and cultural and economic influencers in a space aimed at shaping a more balanced, innovative, and human-centred media future.