Air Connectivity Program launches over 50 new routes, says CEO

Majid Khan CEO of Air Connectivity Program (ACP)

Saudi Arabia’s Air Connectivity Program (ACP) successfully launched more than 50 new air routes since its inception in 2021, attracting three Chinese airlines to operate flights to Riyadh this year, CEO Majid Khan told Asharq News.

Khan explained that the companies attracted are China Southern Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, and Air China. He highlighted that China, Korea, and Japan are key markets and play a very important role.

Collaboration is also underway with three European airlines; Eurowings, which will launch flights from Germany to Jeddah, and ITA Airways, which will start flights from Rome to both Jeddah and Riyadh.

The CEO pointed out that all this effort enhances connectivity and involve cooperation with local airlines as well. He also emphasized that partnering with well-known foreign airlines will help boost the influx of foreign tourists to Saudi Arabia.

Air connectivity is not only about airports but also about the Saudi market. The aim is to expand connections from Europe, Asia, America, and the Gulf countries to the Kingdom. The general goal of the program is to ensure that the four main airports in Dammam, Riyadh, Jeddah, and Medina operate as transportation hubs and gateways to and from the Kingdom.

Furthermore, Khan revealed agreements with Asian and European countries that will be announced in the coming months, noting that the company is working on a range of projects amounting to 500 opportunities, not just for 2024 but through to 2030, to provide seats for 70 million passengers to the Kingdom.

ACP will take many steps in Europe in collaboration with low-cost airlines. The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) is extremely important as visitors from these countries are among the highest spenders. The same applies to China, where the program aims to increase the number of Chinese tourists to 5 million by 2030, Khan concluded.