Riyadh Air begins Pakistan operations with daily Islamabad flights

Islamabad: Riyadh Air has begun operations in Pakistan with the launch of a daily service between Riyadh and Islamabad, marking the Saudi carrier’s latest international expansion and adding a new direct link between the two capitals.

The inaugural flight, RX-660, arrived at Islamabad International Airport from Riyadh on Friday evening carrying 69 passengers, according to the Pakistan Airports Authority. The aircraft later departed Islamabad with 272 passengers.

A ceremony marking the launch was held at Islamabad International Airport, attended by Nawaf bin Saeed Al Malki, Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to Pakistan, and Vincent Coste, Riyadh Air’s Chief Commercial Officer, alongside Pakistani aviation and government officials.

The new service will operate once daily between Riyadh and Islamabad, giving passengers seven flights a week between the two capitals.

Riyadh Air will operate the route on two schedules. Flight RX0659 will depart Riyadh at 1.45pm on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, while RX0661 will leave at 8.10pm on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

The carrier will expand its Pakistan network further from August 18, when it begins flights between Riyadh and Lahore. That route will operate three times a week, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

Both routes will be served by Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners.

The Islamabad launch comes as air travel between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan remains particularly significant because of the large Pakistani community living and working in the kingdom, as well as demand from families, business travellers and religious pilgrims.

More than two million Pakistanis live in Saudi Arabia, working across sectors including healthcare, technology, finance and construction.

The airline said the new services were intended not only to strengthen direct travel between the two countries but also to connect Pakistani passengers through Riyadh to its growing international network.

Saudi Arabia’s ambassador said the launch would further strengthen longstanding relations and air connectivity between the two countries.

Pakistan Airports Authority described the start of operations as an important milestone for bilateral aviation ties and said the additional flights would help facilitate passenger movement and greater co-operation in the aviation sector.

Riyadh Air, which is wholly owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, is developing its network as part of plans to connect the Saudi capital with more than 100 destinations worldwide by the end of the decade.

The launch also coincided with Pakistan’s 79th Independence Day, adding a symbolic element to the airline’s first arrival in the country.