New Delhi/Riyadh: Air India and Saudia, the national carrier of Saudi Arabia, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to deepen their strategic partnership and enhance air connectivity between India and Saudi Arabia. The agreement builds on the airlines' existing codeshare arrangement and aims to provide passengers with more travel options, improved connectivity, and seamless journeys as demand for travel between the two countries continues to grow.
The MoU was signed by H.E. Engr. Ibrahim Al-Omar, Director General of Saudia Group, and Campbell Wilson, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Air India. The partnership outlines a phased approach to expanding cooperation across several areas, including extending the current codeshare agreement, improving network connectivity, exploring terminal co-location, and identifying additional operational and commercial opportunities.
As part of the agreement, both airlines will also explore closer collaboration between their frequent flyer programmes to offer enhanced benefits for customers. In addition, the two carriers will assess the possibility of extending the partnership to other airlines within their respective groups, including flyadeal and Air India Express, further strengthening regional and international connectivity.
Commenting on the partnership, H.E. Engr. Ibrahim Al-Omar described India as one of Saudia's most important markets and said the expanded collaboration with Air India would provide passengers with greater flexibility and convenience. He added that the agreement would also create new opportunities for operational and commercial cooperation while laying the foundation for broader collaboration between the airline groups in the future.
Campbell Wilson, CEO and Managing Director of Air India, said the growing economic, business, and cultural ties between India and Saudi Arabia present significant opportunities for the aviation sector. He noted that closer cooperation between the two airlines would help strengthen connectivity, deliver greater value to customers, and support the long-term growth ambitions of both carriers while contributing to stronger bilateral relations.
The MoU establishes a framework for expanding cooperation as both airlines continue to strengthen their international networks in response to rising passenger demand. Since its privatisation in 2022, Air India has significantly expanded its global partnerships and now maintains 25 codeshare agreements and more than 120 interline partnerships, enabling seamless connectivity to over 1,000 destinations worldwide. The latest agreement with Saudia marks another important step in enhancing travel links between India and the Middle East.
Follow Rehaab Online Instagram for More Updates (Click here)
