Saudia carries 5.1m passengers in Q1 2022, records 75pc growth

Dhaka: Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) carried 5.1 million passengers during the first quarter of 2022, recording a 75 per cent increase compared to the same quarter of 2021.

During Q1 2022, the Kingdom’s national flag carrier operated over 40,000 flights – an increase of 44 per cent compared to the corresponding quarter of 2021, the airline mentioned in its performance report.

Saudia plans to add extra flights and seats to cater to the increasing demand.

“As the momentum for travel continues to build, we will increase frequencies and introduce new destinations on our network during 2022,” said Ibrahim Al-Omar, Director General, Saudi Arabian Airlines.

“This strategy is especially important in light of the Kingdom’s megaprojects 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,” he added.

The increase in the airline’s passenger numbers has been driven by the Kingdom’s entertainment and cultural events during the first three months of 2022, the airline said in a statement.

Saudia recently added several new destinations in its network including Bangkok, Barcelona, Malaga, Marrakech, Moscow, Seoul, Entebbe, Amsterdam, Chicago and Mykonos.