Air Arabia to Launch New Low-Cost Airline in Saudi Arabia
What's the Plan?
The new airline isn't just here for a soft landing. It's aiming big— 57 international and 24 domestic destinations by 2030. Think more affordable flights, fewer layovers, and easier getaways from the Eastern Region.
And yes, it's low-cost. So expect competitive fares that don't wreck your wallet.
10 Million Passengers a Year?
Yup, that's the target. With a planned fleet of 45 aircraft, the airline hopes to carry 10 million passengers every year. That's a whole lot of weekend trips and vacation goals.
More Than Just Travel
It's not just about flying— over 2,400 jobs are expected to be created. The Saudi Minister of Transport and Logistic Services, Saleh Al-Jasser, is hyped about it, saying this new airline will ramp up competition and give travelers more options. Basically, it's a win for everyone.
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Dr Alexander Wray, a transport researcher at Western University in Canada, has seen the bus system flourish in his hometown of Kitchener-Waterloo in Ontario, Canada, since the city's tram system opened in 2019. While there was a fall in the number of buses on the road, Dr Wray says that ridership grew as new bus services to connect to tram stations were inaugurated. Another key factor behind the growth in passenger numbers was, he says, increases in bus frequency. 'From the evidence, we know what people look for is the ability to just walk up to a stop and know that there's a vehicle coming in the next 10 minutes. That breeds confidence in a transit system,' Dr Wray says. While cutting the wait times between buses is seen as the key factor that draws in passengers, making buses more comfortable also helps. 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And you're booking your times and where you need to go. 'The app and the algorithm will match you up with the next available good routing for that vehicle. So it's never following a fixed route: it's meeting demand where it is.' In Dubai, the bus services on offer are continuing to improve just as the number of passengers using them increases: the number of bus journeys made in the emirate last year increased by eight per cent to 188 million. The Roads and Transport Authority previously announced that it was upgrading stations and depots and aiming to achieve 'seamless connectivity' with the Metro and taxis. The fleet itself is enjoying an uplift, with hundreds of low-emission buses on order along with 40 all-electric vehicles. While analysts say that investment in buses often lags behind that of urban rail, Dubai passengers are set to see improvements. 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