Saudi Arabia's national flag carrier, Saudia, has launched new direct flights connecting Riyadh and Jeddah with Beijing. This move is in partnership with the Air Connectivity Program (ACP) and aims to further strengthen ties between Saudi Arabia and China.
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The inaugural flight from Jeddah to Beijing took off on Friday, with the Riyadh-Beijing flight scheduled to commence on Sunday. The flag carrier of Saudi Arabia now operates two flights between Jeddah and Beijing every Monday and Friday and two flights between Riyadh and Beijing every Sunday and Wednesday.
This new route reflects Saudia's role in connecting the two countries in various aspects, including trade and business, tourism, and culture. On Thursday night, Saudia held a maiden flight ceremony at Jeddah Airport to celebrate the launch of flights to Beijing, in the presence of Chinese Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Chen Weiqing, Consul General of the Chinese Consulate General in Jeddah Wang Qimin, and a number of officials from Saudia.
Before the opening of the passenger route to Beijing, Saudia's only operating destination in China was the southern city of Guangzhou. Abdullah Alshahrani, Saudia's general manager of communication and media affairs, told Xinhua on the sidelines of the ceremony that "The direct Saudia flight service would benefit both Saudi and Chinese travelers, especially for promoting the collaboration of business, investment, tourism, and cultural exchange". This new development is a reflection of a commitment to help the two countries deepen their collaboration. It is an exciting time for travelers between Saudi Arabia and China as they can now enjoy more convenient travel options. It also reflects the continued rapprochement between the two countries