The win marks the culmination of a strategic partnership between the three parties
A consortium comprising Air Arabia, the Nesma Group, and KUN Holding has announced that it has won Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation’s (GACA) bid to establish and operate a new national low-cost carrier (LCC) in the Kingdom.
The airline will be based at King Fahd International Airport in Dammam. The airline aims to enhance domestic and international air connectivity for the Eastern Province.
This win marks the culmination of a shared vision and strategic partnership among the three parties, focused on delivering an efficient operating model that supports the objectives of the Aviation program goals, improves service quality for travelers, and contributes to driving national economic growth.
Key milestone
“As a leading low-cost airline operator in the region, this achievement represents a key milestone that reaffirms our commitment to supporting the growth and development of the Kingdom’s aviation sector,” explained Adel Al Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer, Air Arabia.
“Through our proven economic model and regional expertise, this new partnership will deliver a reliable and value-driven travel experience for passengers and will contribute to economic growth and job creation in the Eastern Province and beyond,” he added.
“At Nesma and KUN, we are proud to be part of this ambitious national initiative, which is the result of a strategic partnership with Air Arabia Group. This initiative aligns with the impressive developments in the Kingdom’s tourism and aviation sectors,” noted a joint statement by Faisal Bin Saleh Al-Turki, President, Nesma Group, and Mohamed Bin Nabil Hefni, CEO, KUN Holding.
Collaboration
“We look forward to this carrier becoming a model of local and international collaboration, strengthening the Kingdom’s position as a leading regional and global tourism destination,” the joint statement continued.
The new national low-cost carrier is targeting to operate 24 domestic and 57 international destinations with 45 aircraft by 2030, aiming to serve around 10 million passengers annually from Dammam and the Eastern Province.
The project is projected to create over 2,400 direct jobs in the aviation sector and significantly contribute to tourism growth and local economic development in the region, a press communique concluded.
