flyadeal to tap India-Saudi labour and pilgrim routes amid global expansion

Saudi Arabian low-cost carrier flyadeal will begin operations to India in 2026, connecting four to five cities from its bases in Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, and Medina, The Hindu reports, citing CEO Steven Greenway. The airline — part of the state-owned Saudi Arabian Airlines Corporation and sister to full-service Saudia Airlines — will target labour and pilgrim traffic, mainly from smaller Indian cities.

Flyadeal plans to reduce passenger diversion through hubs like Dubai and Doha, aiming for “a fair share of direct traffic” between India and Saudi Arabia, Greenway said. The expansion aligns with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 strategy to go beyond oil and position Riyadh as a global aviation hub through airlines including Saudia and the new Riyadh Air. India will be flyadeal’s third South Asian destination after Pakistan and Bangladesh.