Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) has chartered five planes to meet summer holidaymakers' growing demand for domestic flights, particularly those between the Kingdom's northern and southern regions, a senior official has said. Abdullah Bin Mushbib Al-Ajhar, Assistant Secretary General for Public Relations, said the move comes as the airline is promoting domestic tourism through a variety of activities including sponsorship of several summer festivals including large events in Jeddah and Abha. Saudia's plan for this summer includes the weekly operation of 1,468 domestic flights and 239 international flights, which have a 287,000-seat capacity. The airline will also arrange extra flights when the need arises, he added. Issam Fu'ad Noor, Director General of Saudia in Jeddah, said that on a daily basis, Saudia has 115 international departures from Jeddah and 120 international arrivals. He said 35 percent of Saudi holidaymakers spend their summer vacation abroad, a number that is decreasing during the last couple of years because the Kingdom has improved its tourist infrastructure.
