A new low-cost airline from Saudi Arabia, flyadeal, will start services to India by 2026, according to reports. Flyadeal, the fast-growing budget sister concern of national carrier Saudia, is eyeing India and Pakistan in its next phase of growth, according to reports.
The services will mostly be from its hubs in Jeddah, Riyadh, and Dammam to six Indian cities. The plan is to launch flights to Delhi and Mumbai by the first quarter of next year. “We were ready to launch services to several cities in India this year,” Greenway said. “But the continued supply chain headaches—especially delayed new aircraft deliveries—mean we’ve had to slow down and rethink our timeline,” Flyadeal CEO Steven Greenway told Gulf News.
Once the services start, it is expected to be a huge relief for pilgrims, expats, and tourists, not just to Saudi Arabia but to Dubai and Sharjah as well.
Besides the top-tier cities, Flyadeal is also exploring the possibility of flying to some secondary cities, though they are yet to be determined. “It’s not just about Saudi travellers anymore,” Greenway explained. “We see huge growth in Indians heading home, expats crossing to the UAE, and especially people coming for Umrah and business. Our network is designed to work for all these segments.”
According to reports, Flyadeal faces delays in the delivery of new aircraft and is forced to make do with its existing fleet, flying planes for up to 13 hours a day to maximise capacity. The airline has stated that it will only see a net gain of one aircraft next year.
