Flynas, a budget airline from Saudi Arabia, will commence direct services between Moscow and Riyadh, operating four times a week from August 1 until October 25. These flights will be carried out using Airbus A320 and A330 aircraft. A key question arising is the potential scale of demand for these newly established routes.
Regular air travel between Russia and Saudi Arabia is set to begin. The inaugural flight from Riyadh to Moscow is scheduled for August 1, with Saudi Arabian low-cost carrier Flynas operating the route to Moscow’s Vnukovo Airport. Flynas plans to conduct flights four times per week from August 1 to October 25, utilizing its Airbus A320 and A330 aircraft fleet. The Ministry of Transport confirmed that no direct regular flights previously existed between the two nations. The crucial point now is to ascertain if these direct connections to Saudi Arabia will prove to be popular.
Expert Insights
According to , this development holds significant promise:
«I believe that the current flight frequency, while not very high, serves as an initial approach for airlines to assess the market demand on these routes. This direction appears potentially interesting because, firstly, Saudi Arabia is growing into an increasingly vital business partner for Russia, and secondly, it represents an emerging tourist destination. Overall, one can view the development of this air route with optimism.»
«How did individuals typically travel to Riyadh prior to this?»
«Previously, travelers employed various routes involving connecting flights; many opted to fly via hubs like Dubai or Istanbul. While there’s a considerable offering of flights with layovers, people generally prefer direct services. Airlines tend to establish direct routes when passenger traffic reaches a level where consistent seat occupancy can be anticipated.»
«Could there be a substantial number of potential tourists?»
«It’s quite challenging to determine precisely. I am confident that a notable, non-insignificant tourist flow exists, but we will only gain a definitive understanding during the trial operational phase of this route. Should these four weekly flights consistently achieve high occupancy, then the frequency will undoubtedly increase in the future.»
In related news, the first direct air service between Russia and North Korea also commenced this week, with an aircraft from Pyongyang landing at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport. Nordwind Airlines is operating these flights to North Korea using a Boeing 777-200ER, which has a capacity for 440 passengers.
