Saudi Arabia carrier flyadeal launches flights to Pakistan

Karachi: Saudi Arabia's low-cost carrier, flyadeal, launched flights to Pakistan over the weekend, marking its debut in the South Asian market. The airline will operate flights from Riyadh and Jeddah to Karachi starting February 3, the airline said in a statement.

A traditional water salute and cake-cutting welcome ceremony in Karachi marked the arrival of flyadeal’s first flight to Pakistan. The airline said both new routes are the latest in this year's major international expansion drive. By 2030, flyadeal expects to triple its network to over 100 destinations and more than 100 aircraft.  

flyadeal flight F3 661 from Riyadh arrived at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport over the weekend. flyadeal is initially operating twice-weekly non-stop flights from Riyadh and Jeddah to Karachi, the capital of Pakistan’s Sindh province, with plans to increase frequency during the year.

Steven Greenway, flyadeal Chief Executive Officer, said: “Pakistan has long been in flyadeal’s planning cycle and finally we’ve added this very important market with the commercial capital of Karachi the first of many cities expected to be inducted to our network across the country this year.”

He added, “Launching flights from Riyadh and Jeddah, our two main operational bases in Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, has also become our first point in South Asia.” Greenway said these new flights will support the needs of the large Pakistani community living and working in the Kingdom, with “our commitment and promise to provide low fares for travel back home to visit family and friends and facilitate easy access to Saudi Arabia, whether for work, business or Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages.”

Greenway added, “Having launched services to the Jordanian capital Amman from Riyadh and Jeddah at the beginning of the year, the addition of Karachi has kept up the momentum of our focus on international expansion this year.”

Farooq Ahmad, flyadeal’s Jeddah-based Head of Sales, said, “Having direct non-stop flights is an extremely convenient option as many travellers between the two countries tend to fly via other Gulf countries, which significantly increases travel time.”

flyadeal currently operates domestic and international flights from bases in Jeddah, Riyadh and Dammam to around 30 year-round and seasonal destinations in the Middle East, North Africa, Europe and, now, South Asia.

This is the second major Middle Eastern budget carrier to launch services to Pakistan. Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, Ambassador of Pakistan to the UAE, confirmed that Wizz Air Abu Dhabi will begin flights between UAE’s capital cities and two Pakistani cities, offering more affordable and accessible travel options.