Saudi Arabia Enhances EU Air Links With New Eurowings Agreement

The Saudi Air Connectivity Program (ACP) has recently inked a significant agreement with Eurowings (EW), in a move set to bolster air travel connections between Germany and Saudi Arabia. This development was announced in the presence of the Minister of Tourism, Ahmed Al-Khateeb, during Saudi Arabia’s participation at the International Travel Trade Show in Berlin. The collaboration aims to launch two direct flight routes from Cologne and Berlin to Jeddah, starting October 2024.

Under this new agreement, Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) is scheduled to operate three weekly flights to King Abdulaziz International Airport (JED), while Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) will see two weekly flights. These flights will be serviced by the A320 aircraft, marking a significant step in enhancing connectivity between Europe and Saudi Arabia. This move comes on the heels of the recent announcement by national carrier flynas about initiating a Berlin-Jeddah route earlier this month.

Majid Khan, CEO of ACP, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership with Eurowings, highlighting it as a pivotal moment for air connectivity between Europe and Saudi Arabia. He emphasized the potential for this agreement to develop German tourism to Saudi Arabia and looked forward to expanding the network in future years. Khan's statement underscores the strategic importance of these new routes in offering European travelers more opportunities to explore Saudi Arabia's unique culture and attractions.

Hazim Alhazmi, President of Americas & Europe Markets at the Saudi Tourism Authority, also commented on the strategic partnership. He pointed out its role in enhancing the relationship between Europe and Saudi Arabia, facilitating cultural and commercial exchanges. Alhazmi extended an invitation to guests worldwide to discover the Kingdom's rich historical, cultural, and entertainment offerings.

Eurowings highlighted the economic and cultural significance of establishing direct routes from Berlin and Cologne to Jeddah. The airline plans to operate these routes with their new Airbus A320neo aircraft, known for being among the quietest and most efficient medium-range jets globally. This initiative is part of the broader efforts by the Saudi Air Connectivity Program (ACP) under the Ministry of Tourism of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to enhance air connectivity from unserved and underserved markets to the Kingdom. ACP aims to bridge the stakeholder ecosystem in tourism and aviation, supporting the National Tourism Strategy’s vision of establishing Saudi Arabia as a global leader in tourism air connectivity.

With inputs from SPA