Saudi national carrier inaugurates first direct flight to Zurich

The Saudi national carrier Saudia launched Thursday its first direct flight to Zurich in collaboration with the Air Connectivity Program, which aims to connect the kingdom to its main target markets, state-run news agency SPA reports.

The inauguration took place at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh in the presence of the Ambassador of Switzerland to the kingdom.

“With continuous support from the Air Connectivity Program, we at Saudia are excited to begin transporting passengers along the milestone route, effectively utilizing our fleet of 150 premium aircraft to best accommodate travelers to and from Saudi Arabia,” Arved Nikolaus Von Zur Muhlen, the CCO of Saudia, said.

The carrier is also planning to operate several hundred extra flights over the duration of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 later this year.

It revealed it will introduce over 60 exclusive flights to support the national team, and several dozen more daily flights for fans to attend the matches, Gulf Business reports.

The 60 daily flights between Riyadh-Doha-Riyadh and Jeddah-Doha-Jeddah will also include dedicated on-ground transportation between the airport and stadium in Doha.