Saudia reports 75% increase in passengers in Q1

Airline carries 5.1 million passengers in first quarter of 2022

Saudi Arabian Airlines has reported carrying 5.1 million passengers in the first three months of this year, a 75% increase on the same quarter in 2021.

Saudia said it operated more than 40,000 flights during the quarter, up 44% year on year. The airline’s fleet of 144 aircraft flew more than 101,600 hours during the period, an increase of 77%.

Saudia CEO Ibrahim Koshy said: “The strong traffic results represent the culmination of the efforts of the airline’s staff, who have been the driving force behind the airline’s comeback to pre-Covid levels of activity.

“As demand returned, our strong airline business fundamentals have translated into a significant improvement in our performance. This achievement has been made possible by the commitment of our hardworking employees combined with our business agility.”

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Saudi Arabian Airlines Corporation director general His Excellency Eng. Ibrahim Al-Omar added: “As the momentum for travel continues to build, we will increase frequencies and introduce new destinations on our network during 2022. This strategy is especially important in light of the kingdom’s mega-projects and transformation agenda for the tourism industry, as we continue to serve as the ‘Wings of Vision 2030’ and welcome the world to Saudi Arabia.”

The airline’s performance report highlighted the fact that Saudi hosted several entertainment and cultural events during the first three months of the year, leading to an uptick in passenger numbers.

Saudia recently announced the addition of several destinations to its global network including Bangkok, Barcelona, Malaga, Marrakech, Moscow, Seoul, Entebbe, Amsterdam, Chicago and Mykonos. 

For more information, visit www.saudia.com