Riyadh Air expands UK network with Manchester route

A new route between Manchester and Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh, has launched, with Riyadh Air adding the northern UK airport as its fourth European destination.

The Manchester-Riyadh service will operate three times weekly, on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, using a 290-seat Boeing 787-9 featuring four distinct cabin classes, said Riyadh Air CEO Tony Douglas.

The service will provide travellers from northern England with direct access to Saudi Arabia, while onward connections in Riyadh will offer access to Riyadh Air’s growing network across Africa and Asia, according to the airline.

Owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), the airline began operations on June 10 this year with its inaugural flight to London. Riyadh Air aims to build a global network of 100 destinations across six continents by 2030.

“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. It will be Manchester’s second service to Saudi Arabia, with Saudia also operating flights to the city of Jeddah on the country’s Red Sea coast,” said Tony Douglas, CEO at Riyadh Air.

The new service is expected to strengthen travel links between the North and Saudi Arabia, while also supporting inbound tourism and closer economic ties between the two countries.

Hundreds of thousands of Saudi visitors travel to the UK each year for business and leisure, with the North’s world-renowned football clubs among the region’s key attractions. Its universities are also popular with Saudi students, the airline 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,” said Chris Woodroofe, Managing Director of Manchester Airport.

“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.”