The Saudi government will push the country's airlines to launch direct flights between Saudi cities and Ahmad Al-Khateeb, the chairman of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Heritage, told Sputnik in an interview
RIYADH (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 28th September, 2019) The Saudi government will push the country's airlines to launch direct flights between Saudi cities and Ahmad Al-Khateeb, the chairman of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Heritage, told Sputnik in an interview.
This summer, Nordwind Airlines launched the first direct flight from Jeddah to Moscow. In June, Saudi Energy Minister Khalid Falih said that Riyadh planned to open 14 direct flights a week between Saudi Arabia and Russia with a view to increase its number.
"We will push Saudi Airlines to work on opening direct air flights, because this is particularly important," Al-Khateeb said.
The chairman pointed out that destination of flights would be determined based on preferences of Russian tourists.
"We will study the issue and open destinations based on what Russian tourists would like to do. If they want to see the sea, then we will open a destination to the Red Sea. If they want to see heritage and history, we will open heritage and history then to make it easier for our dear Russian tourists to come," Al-Khateeb said, when asked whether flights would be opened from Riyadh or from Jeddah.
In June, a source told Sputnik that Russia and Saudi Arabia were discussing different flight directions, including flights from Russia to Jeddah, but flights to Riyadh were expected to be launched first.
