Saudi Arabia’s tourist industry is expanding quickly, and the country is now seeing the entry of significant international aviation operators eager to take advantage of the prospects the Kingdom’s travel market presents. A leading airline that has made significant expenditures to expand its operations in the Kingdom is Wizz Air, a transnational carrier.
According to Robert Carey, the airline’s president, the company’s entry into Saudi Arabia marked its “fastest ramp-up” ever accomplished in a single market.
According to the source, out of the 185 aircraft in the fleet, “we have about 10 aircraft operating in the Kingdom, representing about 7% of our total capacity.”
There is still plenty of room to improve the airline’s fare structure, according to Carey, who noted that the number of passengers is increasing pretty pleasantly and is accompanied by favorable comments.
“When we get to full-scale operations, we will have about 1 million seats from and to Saudi Arabia this summer,” he told Arab News.
The airline’s chief elaborated that a standard full-scale operation usually spans about three years, the first being an investment year, followed by a breakeven point and finally growth. However, in Saudi Arabia, certain aspects are progressing more swiftly than usual, he added.
Having already established operations in four cities, the company has secured its foothold in the Saudi market and plans to broaden its services.
“We serve four cities in Saudi Arabia — Dammam, Riyadh, Jeddah, and Madinah. We also see potential in other cities such as Taif and Tabuk. We’re going to start exploring those cities. We think there are some natural connection points there,” Carey said.
He said the airline is also in the process of submitting a proposal to establish a base in Dammam.
Wizz Air is known for its ultra-low fares, providing customers with an accessible price point that invites a broader range of travelers.
Carey said if the company succeeded in securing the Dammam bid, it could leverage its strategic advantage within the Saudi market.
“We’re hopeful that we will be selected. I think we can bring a lot to the Kingdom if we are selected. We can bring a new price point,” Carey said.
He said the airline operates at a “30 percent lower cost than any other competitor” in the region. “That allows us to introduce flying to new passengers who don’t otherwise have a choice. We fly full flights with very high satisfaction rates.”
The airline aspires to stimulate the Kingdom’s aviation sector by linking Saudi Arabia not only with Europe but also with other regions such as Africa and Central Asia.
“We want to connect them to and from Saudi Arabia. We also want to tackle domestic travel in the Kingdom to introduce a new price point,” Carey said.
The company is collaborating intensively with various Saudi entities to increase its presence in the Kingdom.
Last year, Wizz Air forged partnerships with Saudi Arabia’s tourism and investment ministries and the General Authority of Civil Aviation to strengthen its operations in the Kingdom.
Carey lauded the Investment Ministry for its cooperation in identifying potential investment partners.
“We want to come in, we have the expertise in operating an airline, but we want to be a Saudi airline which requires a Saudi partner,” he added.
“The Tourism Ministry has also been a valuable partner. We’re doing a lot together with the Saudi Tourism Authority, and the Air Connectivity Program to identify those markets that show growth potential and how can we bring new services and stimulate new lines,” he added.
Carey said the airline is focused on ways to boost the volume of inbound tourism by increasing collaboration with the local authorities to maximize benefits for the Saudi travel and tourism sector.
“We’re serving a different market and we’re very happy that there are lots of other players in the market today. They serve a different market. They serve connecting traffic. We do all point to point. We’re focused on bringing customers to the Kingdom,” he said.
