SAUDIA: First Airline to Operate Flights to Red Sea Airport

Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAUDIA) has become the first airline to operate flights to the Red Sea International Airport, thanks to a memorandum of understanding signed between the Red Sea International (RSI), SAUDIA, and daa International.

The memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed on September 12, 2023, and it will see SAUDIA operate regular flights to the Red Sea International Airport from Riyadh and Jeddah. The airport is located in the Tabuk Province of Saudi Arabia, and it is expected to become a major hub for tourism and business in the region.

The development of the Red Sea International Airport is on track, and it is expected to be launched in 2023 alongside three resorts. The airport will initially cater to domestic flights from and to Riyadh, and it will later expand to include flights from Jeddah. By 2024, the airport aims to handle international flights as well.

The memorandum of understanding between SAUDIA, Red Sea International (RSI), and daa International will see SAUDIA begin regular operations from and to the Red Sea International Airport. The agreement also includes plans for collaborative research on the utilization of Lower Carbon Aviation Fuel and Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) at the airport. This is a shared commitment towards reducing carbon emissions in the aviation industry.

The memorandum of understanding also includes plans to evaluate the implementation of electric vertical take-off and landing jets (eVTOLs) in the Red Sea region. eVTOLs are aircraft that can take off and land vertically, like helicopters, but they are powered by electricity, which makes them much more sustainable than traditional aircraft.

The evaluation of eVTOLs is a significant step towards the development of sustainable aviation practices in the Red Sea region.