bmi to double services to Saudi capital Riyadh

London Heathrow’s second biggest carrier bmi, will double the number of flights to the Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh from 15 January 2009. Services from Heathrow to Riyadh will increase from three services a week to six, provided a daily service with the exception of Friday. Return services from Riyadh to Heathrow will operate daily with the exception of Saturday.

The Heathrow originating services will go onwards from Riyadh to Dammam on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday and onwards to Jeddah on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. The latter replacing the current three day a week non-stop service.

The increase in frequencies is possible thanks to an agreement reached by the UK and Saudi Arabian governments which permits extra services between the two countries.

Nigel Turner, chief executive officer of bmi, said: “We are determined to take full advantage of the headroom that the revised air services agreement has created so as to meet the growing demand we are experiencing. The doubling of frequencies to Riyadh will enable us to offer an extremely attractive schedule that will appeal to point to point traffic as well as creating a much wider range of connecting opportunities at Heathrow, particularly to and from the USA.

“Since services to the Kingdom were abandoned by British Airways two years ago and bmi willingly stepped in to safeguard this important direct link we have gained a firm foothold in the market. We have invested and continue to invest considerably in providing the best possible service both on the ground and in the air. The significant increase in services from January will further establish bmi as a major contributor to the economic growth and vibrancy of the region. We are proud to be a part of that growth.”

Scheduled times are to be announced shortly and flights will be operated by Airbus A330 aircraft in a two class configuration providing lie-flat beds to business customers.