Latest news with #EssamAkhonbay
Zawya
2 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
Saudia and Merit sign agreement to launch AlFursan Store
Jeddah: Saudia, the national flag carrier of Saudi Arabia, has announced a strategic partnership between its AlFursan Loyalty Program and Merit, a leading provider of loyalty solutions. The agreement signed by Essam Akhonbay, Vice President of AlFursan Loyalty Program at Saudia, and Julie Barbier-Leblan, CEO and Co-Founder of Merit, marks the official launch of AlFursan (e-Store), a new platform designed to elevate the loyalty experience for AlFursan members. The new AlFursan Store allows members to redeem their miles for a wide selection of products across various categories, extending the program's value beyond traditional flight rewards. It is designed to boost member satisfaction and encourage deeper engagement with the AlFursan Loyalty Program. Merit will be responsible for implementing and operating the store as the exclusive supplier of all redemption merchandise. Essam Akhonbay, Vice President of AlFursan Loyalty Program at Saudia, said: 'This is a pivotal milestone in the evolution of AlFursan Loyalty Program. The new AlFursan Store will enrich the member's experience by providing a greater range of redemption options. Our partnership with Merit also supports our broader objective of continuous innovation and investment in cutting-edge technology to enhance member services.' Julie Barbier-Leblan, CEO and Co-Founder at Merit: 'We are incredibly proud to partner with Saudia. The launch of the AlFursan Store marks an important milestone in our shared vision to redefine loyalty and deliver more meaningful value to members. By expanding access to a growing ecosystem of global and local partners, from retailers, unique merchandise, digital platforms and lifestyle services, we are shaping one of the most comprehensive and rewarding loyalty experiences in the region. This launch is just the beginning of a broader journey to make everyday moments more rewarding and to strengthen the connection between Saudia and its valued AlFursan members.' AlFursan members enjoy access to a wide range of rewards and exclusive offers through a growing network of global and local partners, including leading banks, hotels, car rental companies, telecom providers, retailers, service platforms, insurance firms, and digital booking sites. With the addition of the e-Store, the program continues to strengthen its position as one of the most rewarding and comprehensive loyalty offerings in the region. About Saudia: Saudia (Saudia Airlines) is the national flag carrier of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Established in 1945, the company has grown to become one of the Middle East's largest airlines. Saudia has invested significantly in upgrading its aircraft and currently operates one of the youngest fleet, with 147 aircraft. The airline serves an extensive global route network covering around 100 destinations across four continents, including all 28 domestic airports in Saudi Arabia. A member of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the Arab Air Carriers Organization (AACO), Saudia has also been a member airline in SkyTeam, the second largest alliance, since 2012. Saudia was recently recognized as the World's Most Improved Airline 2024 by Skytrax, marking the third time it has received this accolade, alongside 14 other distinguished awards. Saudia has also been awarded the "World Class Airline 2024" for the third consecutive year at The APEX Official Airline Ratings™ awards. Additionally, also ranked top among global airlines for best on-time performance (OTP) according to a report by Cirium.
Tourism Breaking News
7 days ago
- Business
- Tourism Breaking News
flyadeal joins Saudia's Alfursan loyalty programme
Post Views: 133 flyadeal has joined sister airline Saudia's AlFursan loyalty programme giving members additional travel options to earn and redeem reward miles with the Kingdom's fast-growing low-cost carrier. It's the latest move by flyadeal towards further integration with national flag carrier Saudia, which codeshares on its entire domestic and international network. The new partnership was signed at a ceremony held at Saudia's headquarters in Jeddah by Steven Greenway, flyadeal Chief Executive Officer, and Essam Akhonbay, Vice President of AlFursan. The event was presided by His Excellency Eng. Ibrahim Al-Omar, Saudia Group Director General. Steven Greenway, flyadeal CEO, said: 'Joining AlFursan was just a matter of time for flyadeal. We've scaled our operations significantly across Saudi Arabia and internationally that now give members of the AlFursan loyalty programme more travel options with great flexibility to earn and redeem reward miles on flyadeal's rapidly growing network. 'Being the leading loyalty programme in the Kingdom, AlFursan has developed a diverse membership and partnership base for which we are delighted to be joining. With the sharp rise in the number of tourists, business travellers and pilgrims to, from and within Saudi Arabia, we are creating a dynamic aviation ecosystem built on demand, appeal, choice and loyalty.' Essam Akhonbay, Vice President of AlFursan, added: 'We are focused on expanding our member base while introducing exceptional partnerships such as the one with flyadeal, to enhance the programme and offer more exclusive rewards than ever before. This includes increasing our partner network and launching new features designed to provide more options for members to earn and redeem their reward miles. Our goal is for AlFursan to be the most rewarding loyalty programme in Saudi Arabia, and one of the best globally.' Unlike many airline-led loyalty programmes, AlFursan reward miles can be redeemed for available seats on any flyadeal flight without blackout restrictions or limited inventory. Redemption covers the full cost of the flight, including fees and taxes. When redeeming reward miles for a flight on flyadeal, AlFursan members are guaranteed the same high level experience and support as flyadeal paying passengers. Being the largest loyalty programme in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with over nine million members, AlFursan provides its membership with an extensive range of benefits, offers and rewards through over 40 global partnerships including banks, hotels, car rental companies, retailers and insurance providers. Since inception in 2017, flyadeal has been catapulted into the region's fastest growing airline with a current fleet of 39 Airbus A320 family aircraft serving over 30 seasonal and year-round destinations in Saudi Arabia, Middle East, Europe, North Africa and South Asia. The airline is set to more than triple in size in fleet and destinations served by 2030. Last week, flyadeal embarked on its summer seasonal flying programme to five destinations from bases in Riyadh and Jeddah. Over the next two months, flyadeal will serve Baku (Azerbaijan), Tbilisi (Georgia), Trabzon (Turkey), Sarajevo (Bosnia & Herzegovina) and Sharm El Sheikh (Egypt). New year-round scheduled services were introduced last month to Alexandria (Egypt) and Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen (Turkey). And beginning July 2, flyadeal will operate flights from Jeddah to Assiut in central Egypt.
Zawya
23-06-2025
- Business
- Zawya
flyadeal and AlFursan launch miles partnership for seamless earning and redemption
Jeddah – flyadeal has signed a strategic partnership with AlFursan loyalty program, enabling members to earn and redeem miles when flying with flyadeal, Saudia Group's low-cost carrier. The agreement complements the growing operational footprint of flyadeal across domestic and international routes and supports AlFursan's ongoing digital transformation. The signing ceremony was attended by H.E. Engr. Ibrahim Al-Omar, Director General of Saudia Group, and signed by Steven Greenway, Chief Executive Officer of flyadeal and Essam Akhonbay, Vice President of AlFursan Loyalty Program at Saudia. Through the partnership, AlFursan members can now redeem miles on flyadeal flights throughout the year, and earn miles based on the selected fare class, which includes FlyMax and FlyPlus. AlFursan members can redeem their miles on any scheduled flyadeal flight with unlimited seat availability, no blackout dates or limited inventory. Bookings are offered at competitive rates, while members enjoy the same travel benefits as full-fare passengers, including rebooking options and support in the event of delays or cancellations. Steven Greenway, CEO of flyadeal, said: 'Being the leading loyalty program in the Kingdom, AlFursan has developed a diverse membership and partnership base for which we are delighted to be joining. With the sharp rise in the number of tourists, business travellers and pilgrims to, from and within Saudi Arabia, we are building a dynamic aviation ecosystem built on demand, appeal, choice and loyalty.' Essam Akhonbay, Vice President of AlFursan Loyalty Program at Saudia, said: 'We are focused on expanding our member base while introducing exceptional partnerships, such as the one with flyadeal, to enhance the program, offering more exclusive rewards than ever before. This includes increasing our partner network and launching new features designed to provide more options for members to earn and redeem their Miles. Our goal is for AlFursan to be the most rewarding loyalty program in Saudi Arabia, and one of the best globally.' Passengers are encouraged to add their AlFursan membership number when booking to earn miles, which will be credited automatically once the membership is linked to the reservation. These miles can be redeemed digitally via flyadeal's website or application, and members may also claim missing miles for up to six months following their travel date, starting from Monday, June 23, 2025. Tier credits will be granted throughout the three-month promotional period, from June 23, 2025, to September 30, 2025. About Saudia: Saudia (Saudia Airlines) is the national flag carrier of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Established in 1945, the company has grown to become one of the Middle East's largest airlines. Saudia has invested significantly in upgrading its aircraft and currently operates one of the youngest fleets with 147 aircraft. The airline serves an extensive global route network covering around 100 destinations across four continents, including all 28 domestic airports in Saudi Arabia. A member of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the Arab Air Carriers Organization (AACO), Saudia has also been a member airline in SkyTeam, the second largest alliance, since 2012. Saudia was recently recognized as the World's Most Improved Airline 2024 by Skytrax, marking the third time it has received this accolade, alongside 14 other distinguished awards. Saudia has also been awarded the "World Class Airline 2024" for the third consecutive year at The APEX Official Airline Ratings™ awards. Additionally, also ranked top among global airlines for best on-time performance (OTP) according to a report by Cirium. About AlFursan Loyalty Program: AlFursan is Saudia's loyalty program, created to elevate the travel experience through meaningful rewards and exclusive benefits. As part of Saudia Group's guest-first strategy, the program is being reimagined to offer greater digital convenience, flexibility, and value. Members can earn and redeem miles across flights, upgrades, and a growing network of global partners. AlFursan also provides access to curated offers and services through partnerships spanning banking, hospitality, automotive, car rental, telecom, retail, and insurance. Recent highlights include a co-branded credit card with ADIB – Egypt and Visa, and expanded benefits through Accor and top-tier Saudi banks. Gold and Silver members enjoy premium services such as priority check-in, extra baggage. Gold members can also access the First and Business Class Check-In Lounge in King Abdulaziz International Airport. They also benefit from Saudia's new international lounge network, with the London location open and additional lounges planned in Dubai, Paris, and Istanbul. AlFursan is a key part of Saudia's mission to bring the world to the Kingdom, supporting Vision 2030 by enhancing connectivity and hospitality on a global scale. About flyadeal: On 23 September 2017, National Day of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, flyadeal began operations with its historic maiden flight from Jeddah to Riyadh. A pioneer and innovator, flyadeal was the first regional low-cost airline to be launched only across digital distribution channels. Being the sister airline of full-service national carrier Saudia — both under the umbrella ownership of Saudi Arabian Airlines Corporation (Saudia Group) — flyadeal was created for the price-conscious and tech-savvy consumer in mind in a market where 80 per cent of the Saudi population is aged less than 40 years and has at least two mobile phones. flyadeal aims to stimulate travel, tourism and trade with its affordable, value for money everyday fares catering to leisure, religious, family and business travellers. Simplicity is key with an all-Economy Class cabin across flyadeal's narrowbody fleet. With the Kingdom undergoing dramatic transformation through its Vision 2030 economic diversification drive, aviation and tourism are among the many sectors earmarked for dynamic growth. Today, flyadeal is one of the youngest and fastest growing low-cost airlines in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Middle East, recognised for excellence in on-time performance that is consistently above the global industry average. flyadeal operates a young fleet of Airbus A320 narrowbody aircraft flying from bases in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam to destinations across Saudi Arabia with a growing international footprint in Europe, Middle East, North Africa and South Asia. The airline has flown over 35 million passengers since its inaugural flight. In May 2024, flyadeal placed its biggest ever order for 51 aircraft – 12 A320neos and 39 larger A321neos – with a delivery schedule beginning in 2026. In addition, flyadeal will operate long-haul scheduled services from 2027 with the phased induction of 10 Airbus A330neo widebody aircraft ordered by Saudia Group in April 2025. By 2030, flyadeal plans to operate hundreds of routes that will see its fleet and network triple in number to over 100 aircraft and destinations, respectively. flyadeal's aggressive expansion drive makes the rapidly growing airline one of the country's most desirable companies to work for.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Saudia's AlFursan Loyalty Program Earns Triple Honors at the 2025 Freddie Awards
Recognized for Excellence in Loyalty Innovation and Member-Centric Rewards JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia, May 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Saudia, the national flag carrier of Saudi Arabia, has achieved significant recognition at the 2025 Freddie Awards, with its AlFursan Loyalty Program earning three major accolades. The program was honored with 'Best Elite Program – Airline Category', 'Best Promotion' and 'Best Loyalty Credit Card' awards. These awards underscore AlFursan's commitment to delivering innovative and valuable experiences to its members. The "Best Elite Program – Airline Category" award reflects AlFursan's seamless and rewarding experience, offering effortless mile earning and redemption opportunities. Building on this success in member engagement, AlFursan also received the 'Best Promotion' award for its '94% Bonus Miles When Purchasing Miles' campaign. This initiative was acknowledged for enabling members to significantly boost their mile balances, opening doors to aspirational travel opportunities. Furthermore, AlFursan's commitment to providing comprehensive loyalty benefits was recognized with the 'Best Loyalty Credit Card' award. This accolade was given for its co-branded credit card offering with Al Rajhi Bank, highlighting its innovative approach to transforming everyday spending into valuable travel benefits through generous welcome bonuses and competitive earning rates. For North American guests, joining the AlFursan Loyalty Program means access to a world of exclusive benefits tailored to enhance their travel experiences. Members can enjoy seamless connections through Saudia's extensive network, including priority boarding, additional baggage allowances, and access to luxurious lounges. The program also offers unique opportunities to earn and redeem miles across the SkyTeam alliance, making international travel more rewarding and accessible. 'This triple recognition affirms AlFursan's leadership in loyalty innovation and our commitment to delivering meaningful value to our members. We've reimagined what a loyalty program can offer—flexibility, lasting rewards, and miles that never expire,' said Essam Akhonbay, Vice President of AlFursan Loyalty Program at Saudia. 'As we continue to expand our partnerships and digital capabilities, AlFursan remains dedicated to creating seamless, rewarding journeys that inspire loyalty for life.' AlFursan is designed to deliver more value at every stage of the journey. Members can earn miles when flying with Saudia or any SkyTeam alliance partner, as well as through everyday spending with a wide range of partners, including hotels, car rental agencies, and retail brands. The program provides its members with an extensive range of benefits, including the option to add an extra piece of checked luggage, priority on waiting lists, bonus miles, and lounge access. With a user-friendly digital platform, members can easily manage their accounts, track miles, and access personalized offers. About Saudia:Saudia (Saudia Airlines) is the national flag carrier of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Established in 1945, the company has grown to become one of the Middle East's largest airlines. Saudia has invested significantly in upgrading its aircraft and currently operates one of the youngest fleet, with 144 aircraft. The airline serves an extensive global route network covering around 100 destinations across four continents, including all 28 domestic airports in Saudi Arabia. A member of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the Arab Air Carriers Organization (AACO), Saudia has also been a member airline in SkyTeam, the second largest alliance, since 2012. Saudia was recently awarded the "World Class Airline 2025" for the fourth consecutive year at The APEX Official Airline Ratings™ awards. Saudia has also advanced 11 places in the Skytrax airlines ranking of the World Best Airlines 2023. The Airline also ranked top among global airlines for best on-time performance (OTP) according to a report by Cirium. For more information on Saudia, please visit Media CenterSaudi Arabian Airlines HeadquartersJeddah 21231, Kingdom of Saudi ArabiaEmail: mediacenter@
Biz Bahrain
22-04-2025
- Business
- Biz Bahrain
Saudia unveils 'The Coolest Ihram', a high-tech Hajj & Umrah innovation
Saudia, the national flag carrier of Saudi Arabia – on World Creativity and Innovation Day – unveils 'The Coolest Ihram', the world's first high-tech garment designed to cool the body while performing the Islamic rituals of Hajj and Umrah. This pioneering product – developed in partnership with Landor and brrr®, will make its debut during the Arabian Travel Market 2025 (ATM) in Dubai, positioning Saudia at the forefront of Hajj & Umrah innovation. Envisioned by Saudia, created by Landor and brought to life by leading U.S. cooling fabric company brrr®, the Coolest Ihram, 'The Coolest Ihram' uses patented cooling minerals, active wicking and rapid drying to lower your skin temperature by 1-2°C depending on environment and individual metabolic rate. Along with UPF 50+ sun protection, this lab-tested, athletic-grade technology creates a cool personal microclimate for each pilgrim, while adhering to the Islamic principles of Ihram for both men and women. The launch comes at a pivotal time, as the Kingdom prepares for Hajj this summer while mobilizing efforts to ensure a safe and successful pilgrimage season. As the leading Hajj & Umrah carrier, Saudia aims to set a new benchmark in religious tourism, adding to its commitment of supporting the Kingdom's targets of six million Hajj pilgrims and 30 million Umrah pilgrims annually by 2030. Essam Akhonbay, VP Marketing at Saudia, said: 'At Saudia, we are committed to continuous innovation across all aspects of aviation. Our goal is to enhance the travel experience for every guest. 'The Coolest Ihram' exemplifies our dedication to pioneering advancements that ensure comfort and focus on what truly matters during their journey.' Offering Landor's perspective, Luc Speisser, Global Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer, said: 'We saw an opportunity not only to elevate Saudia's brand internationally, but to do it in a meaningful way, making a positive difference to passengers, during the journey of a lifetime. As a brand, Saudia promises innovation, and with the 'Coolest Ihram', they're putting that promise into practice.' Mary-Cathryn Kolb, Founder & Chief Executive Officer of brrr®, said: 'We were incredibly excited to partner with Landor and Saudia on this project, because we knew the difference it would make to pilgrims, in one of the most important moments of their lives. This is a wonderful opportunity for us to build new relationships and break new ground, while demonstrating the performance power of our fabrics.' The 'Coolest Ihram' will be available to Saudia guests beginning of June 2025, with further details to be announced soon.
