Saudi Arabia to launch international airline to rival Emirates, Qatar Airways
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A Saudia Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. Saudia most flies domestic and point-to-point flights to and from Saudi Arabia. The new airline will use Riyadh as a transit hub for connecting flights.
Photo: iStock
Saudi Arabia plans to target international transit passenger traffic with its new national airline, going head-to-head with Gulf giants Emirates and Qatar Airways and opening up a new front in simmering regional competition.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is pushing economic diversification to wean Saudi Arabia off oil revenues and create jobs, announced a transportation and logistics drive on Tuesday aimed at making the kingdom the fifth-biggest air transit hub.