New Saudi low-cost airline to launch from King Fahd International Airport

Arabian Business

a day ago

A consortium comprising Air Arabia, Nesma Group, and KUN Holding has won the General Authority of Civil Aviation's (GACA) competition to establish and operate a low-cost airline in Saudi Arabia.
The carrier will be based at King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, and will enhance domestic and international air connectivity for the Eastern Province, the Emirates News Agency (WAM) said in a statement.
The win represents the culmination of a vision and partnership among the three parties, focused on delivering an operating model that supports aviation programme goals, improves service quality for travellers, and contributes to driving economic growth.
New Saudi airline plans 81 destinations with 45 aircraft by 2030
The low-cost carrier targets operating 24 domestic and 57 international destinations with 45 aircraft by 2030.
The airline aims to serve around 10 million passengers annually from Dammam and the Eastern Province.
Adel Al Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer of Air Arabia, said: 'We are proud to have been selected by the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) to launch a new national low-cost airline headquartered in Dammam. We extend our sincere gratitude to the authority for its trust in us.
'As a leading low-cost airline operator in the region, this achievement represents a key milestone that reaffirms our commitment to supporting the growth and development of the kingdom's aviation sector. Through our proven economic model and regional expertise, this new partnership will deliver a reliable and value-driven travel experience for passengers and will contribute to economic growth and job creation in the Eastern Province and beyond.'
Faisal Bin Saleh Al-Turki, President of Nesma Group, and Mohamed Bin Nabil Hefni, CEO of KUN Holding, added: 'At Nesma and KUN, we are proud to be part of this ambitious national initiative, which is the result of a strategic partnership with Air Arabia Group. This initiative aligns with the impressive developments in the Kingdom's tourism and aviation sectors. Launching a new low-cost carrier from Dammam is not merely an air transport project, but a direct contribution to strengthening the tourism infrastructure and stimulating the local economy of the Eastern Province. This includes creating high-quality jobs, empowering national talent, and supporting aviation-related commercial activities.
'We believe this project reflects the private sector's role in supporting the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 and embodies the spirit of partnership between the public and private sectors to achieve transformative strides in sustainable development. We look forward to this carrier becoming a model of local and international collaboration, strengthening the Kingdom's position as a leading regional and global tourism destination.'
The project is projected to create over 2,400 direct jobs in the aviation sector and will contribute to tourism growth and economic development in the region.