Budget airline flynas begins direct flights to Mumbai

RIYADH, Jan 18 (Arab News): Saudi Arabia's budget airline flynas has launched two new routes from Jeddah to India and Eritrea as the Kingdom's aviation industry continues to expand.
The flight to Mumbai started on Jan. 15 and operations to Asmara began on Jan. 17. There are two weekly direct journeys scheduled for each destination.
The move comes as part of the National Civil Aviation Strategy to enable national air carriers to connect the Kingdom with 250 international destinations and to accommodate 330 million passengers annually by 2030.
It is also entwined with the objectives of the Pilgrims Experience Program to facilitate access to the Two Holy Mosques.
In December, the budget carrier added service between Jeddah and Brussels to its ever-growing portfolio of worldwide destinations, making it the first Saudi airline to link the Kingdom with Belgium.
The airline also commenced flights to Addis Ababa and Bishkek in October 2023.
flynas reported record results in 2023, witnessing a surge in passenger traffic of over 11 million - a 28 per cent increase from the previous year. It also took delivery of 19 new aircraft during the year as it expanded its fleet to 64.
The carrier launched 57 new destinations and routes to 10 countries during the year as it also opened its fourth operations base at Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah. There was also an increase in seat capacity by 22 per cent for domestic and international flights.