Malaysia has become Riyadh Air's first destination in Southeast Asia after travel links between Malaysia and Saudi Arabia were seen to have great potential.
Tourism, business and Hajj and Umrah travel demand were among the main factors.
Riyadh Air's Chief Commercial Officer, Vincent Coste, said Saudis are indeed very interested in traveling to Malaysia.
At the same time, many Malaysians travel to Saudi Arabia for religious and business purposes.
Malaysia-Saudi Demand Strong
Riyadh Air began three-times-a-week flights between Riyadh and Kuala Lumpur on July 30 using Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft.
According to Coste, initial demand was stronger than expected even though tickets went on sale in a relatively short period of time.
This growth is expected to continue to increase as Saudi Arabia expands the tourism sector through Vision 2030.
This means that more Malaysians have the potential to visit Saudi Arabia not only for Hajj and Umrah, but also for tourism purposes.
In addition to direct flights, Riyadh Air wants to make Riyadh a transit hub connecting passengers from Asia to Europe and the Americas.
Riyadh Air Targets 100 Destinations
The airline is targeting more than 100 destinations by 2030.
To support this expansion, Riyadh Air continues to add aircraft to its fleet.
The company plans to use Boeing 787, Airbus A321neo and A350-1000 to expand its flight network.
Riyadh Air is expected to receive new aircraft in stages, with one to two aircraft arriving every month over the next few years.
This development shows that the new airline is serious about competing in the international aviation market.
