Riyadh Air confirms Manchester flights and brings forward London launch

Start-up Gulf carrier Riyadh Air has confirmed the start of a service from Manchester Airport to Saudi Arabia.

The service is scheduled to start on July 23 with three Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner flights a week.

The airline has also brought forward the introduction of flights to London from July 1 to June 10 due to the accelerated delivery of its aircraft.

The carrier’s long-haul aircraft will operate in a four-class configuration

The Manchester service positions Riyadh as a key transport hub, offering onward connections to Jeddah, Dubai, Cairo and soon-to-be-announced cities across Asia.

Chief executive Tony Douglas said: “The launch of our new service to Manchester marks another milestone in our journey to connect Riyadh to the world and the world to Riyadh.

“This route has been carefully selected to serve a key market for connecting the north of England to the Middle East, aligning with our ambition to become a global airline. 

“We look forward to welcoming our guests aboard to experience our distinctive Saudi hospitality as we connect these two great cities and continue to redefine the future of air travel."