Riyadh Air celebrates first flight from Manchester Airport

Saudi airline, Riyadh Air, has celebrated its first flight between Manchester Airport and Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh, increasing connections with the country from the North.

The airline, owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, began operations in June with its maiden flight to London, and has ambitions to reach 100 destinations worldwide by 2030.

The new connection with Manchester is Riyadh Air’s fourth route in Europe and is expected to bring a boost to inbound tourism with the North and enhance economic ties. Hundreds of thousands of people visit the UK from Saudi Arabia for business or leisure each year, and the North’s world-famous football teams are among the biggest draws. The region’s universities are highly popular with Saudi students, too.

Travellers from the North will also have access via onward connections to Riyadh Air’s network of destinations across Africa and Asia.

Chris Woodroofe, Managing Director of Manchester Airport, said:

“We’re proud to connect people from across the North with destinations across the planet, so having a new route to a major global city like Riyadh is a big moment for us.

“What makes this even more special is that an ambitious airline like Riyadh Air has selected Manchester as one of its first European destinations – showing the appeal of Manchester and the North as a destination, but also indicating the strength of demand for long-haul travel from the North.

“That is something we now have more capacity to meet than ever before, thanks to our decade-long, £1.5bn transformation of Terminal 2. Whether they’re travelling to Manchester from or via Riyadh, travelling to Saudi Arabia, or connecting onwards to other parts of Asia, Africa or Australasia, passengers travelling with Riyadh Air from Manchester can be assured of a world-class experience – both at the airport, and with the airline.”

Tony Douglas, CEO at Riyadh Air said:

“It’s incredibly exciting to be launching our inaugural flight to Manchester, our second destination in the UK and 14th worldwide. Manchester is a key gateway from where our guests can fly to cities in the Middle East and Asia in addition to being a popular cultural destination for visitors from across our growing network. We look forward to welcoming guests to fly on our modern, premium aircraft and experiencing genuine Saudi hospitality, known locally as Hafawa.”