Wizz Air launches flights to European capitals from Riyadh, Jeddah
RIYADH, January 12, 2023
Wizz Air, one of Europe’s fastest growing and globally most environmentally sustainable airline, has officially inaugurated two new connections from Saudi capital Riyadh to Budapest and Bucharest, the capitals of European nations of Hungary and Romania.
The new routes will be served twice a week - on Mondays and Fridays.
As a launch offer, Wizz Air is giving away tickets on Riyadh-Bucharest sector for prices starting as low as €24.99 ($26.73) and on Riyadh-Budapest sector at €44.99 ($48.1), said a statement from the top European carrier.
This comes close on the heels of Wizz Air's inaugural flights to the Saudi cities of Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam from Austria and Italy last month.
It is part of a line-up of 24 new routes to Saudi Arabia announced in recent months by Wizz Air, underpinning the airline's commitment to supporting the country's growing tourism sector by bringing more than 1 million passengers to the kingdom in the coming year, it added.
One of the leading European ultra-low-cost carriers, Wizz Air said it had started similar operations from the Saudi port city of Jeddah to the capitals of Hungary and Romania in addition to Italian capital Rome.
Its debut flight from Jeddah International Airport took off to Bucharest on January 9, to Budapest on January 10 and Rome the next day. All these new routes will be served twice a week, it stated.
The flights on Budapest - Jeddah sector will operate on Tuesdays and Saturdays with prices starting at (€54.99 onwards); while Bucharest - Jeddah sector will be on Mondays and Fridays (€24.99 onwards) and Rome - Jeddah on Wednesdays and Saturdays with prices starting from €74.99 onwards.
With these flights, Wizz Air has kicked off 2023 operations on a grand scale, further boosting its presence in Saudi Arabia and bringing a new era of affordable, hassle-free and direct travel opportunities to Riyadh and Jeddah from the European capitals, it stated.
The airline is currently operating 12 routes to the kingdom from its main hubs in Europe.
The airline’s growing presence is in line with the Vision 2030 Programme, a strategic and ambitious goal to triple passenger traffic in Saudi Arabia in the next seven years, it added.
Wizz Air President Robert Carey stated: "It is with great pleasure that we kickstart 2023 inaugurating two new connections from Budapest Airport and Bucharest Airport to Riyadh in addition to the flights to Jeddah. These two routes will unlock an eclectic mix of travel opportunities between the European capitals and the kingdom, thus benefiting from the immense historical, artistic and cultural heritage that the Saudi Kingdom has to offer its visitors."
"Furthermore, with the two additional routes on top of the recently announced ones within our network to Saudi Arabia, Wizz Air once again confirms and strengthens its commitment to Saudi Vision 2030, where it keeps innovating and will carry forward the banner of low-cost flying for the benefit of Saudi residents and visitors and the country's diversifying economy. I am pleased to announce that we now fly from Riyadh to four different destinations in Europe," he added.
Wizz Air said it had last year signed a MoU with the Ministry of Investment of Saudi Arabia which was supported by the Air Connectivity Programme, a Ministry of Tourism initiative aimed at boosting the development of Saudi tourism sector.
It reflects a shared vision between the parties on the potential Wizz Air could bring to the kingdom with its incredibly low fares to stimulate tourist demand, thereby making a significant contribution to Saudi Arabia’s planned growth.
Saudi Tourism Authority CEO Fahd Hamidaddin said: “Saudi’s partnership with Wizz Air continues to go from strength to strength. Already one of the largest partnerships in the world, the announcement of two new connections from Budapest and Bucharest to Riyadh ensures it will remain an exciting destination for Europeans to visit and explore."
"The announcement also re-affirms our commitment to an accessible and affordable Saudi experience," he added.
Air Connectivity Programme CEO Khalil Lamrabet: “With the new flights, we are continuing to break new ground in Saudi-European travel. The opening of these new air routes is a result of the joint efforts of Wizz Air and the Saudi tourism and aviation ecosystems’ stakeholders."
"Working together as one, we are forging a new path forward to ensure that millions of travellers can enjoy the variety of experiences that both Riyadh and the rest of the kingdom have to offer. As the Saudi Air Connectivity Program, we are working closely with all stakeholders to support growth into the kingdom’s booming tourism market and stimulate further inbound tourism through air connectivity,” he added.-TradeArabia News Service
