Saudi Arabian carrier Flynas is due to confirm plans to start services from the UK as part of a global expansion plan.
Flights from Gatwick and Manchester to Jeddah are being scheduled following the acquisition of Airbus A330 widebody aircraft.
New long-haul destinations include Gatwick, Manchester, Paris, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta and Casablanca.
Chief executive Raja Azmi (pictured) said last month: The expansion of our flight routes to cover long-haul destinations in Europe, Asia and Africa is a key element of our strategy to lead the airline into a new chapter of aggressive growth.
“The expansion of our route network beyond the Middle East is a decisive step leading us towards fulfilling our goal of carrying 20 million passengers yearly by 2020.”
Details of the Gatwick and Manchester flights are to be outlined at press briefings this week.