Riyadh Air signals start of Manchester route

Riyadh Air is expanding its UK reach with the addition of flights from Manchester to the Saudi capital.

The start-up carrier confirmed plans to serve the northwest hub in addition to a daily service from Heathrow.

A start date for Manchester flights remains to be confirmed but comes as the airline also unveiled new routes to Madrid and Jeddah in addition to London, Dubai and Cairo.

The planned network expansion, disclosed in a posting on X, comes despite the ongoing Iran war.

Riyadh Air is also introducing its Modern Air Retailing (MAR) digital-first booking platform designed to streamline the travel trade experience.

MAR enables agents to access real-time content and take greater control over the booking process, supporting more efficient and flexible retailing, according to the carrier.

Flights are not currently available via GDS.