New aircraft can take Flynas to new heights

Saudi Arabian low-cost carrier (LCC) Flynas is preparing for a major expansion, with plans for a huge order of aircraft this year.

The company’s board gave approval for the expansion last year and, speaking at the Expo Hajj exhibition in January, Flynas CEO and managing director, Bandar Almohanna said the company aims to sign orders for up to 250 new aircraft by year-end.

At present, the company has a fleet of around 60 Airbus A320ceo and neo models, plus four A330-300 widebodies. The planned new aircraft – whichever models are chosen – will take several years to be delivered, given the vast order backlogs at both Airbus and Boeing, although acquiring aircraft from lessors may reduce that time-lag.

Once operational, the new arrivals will take the Jeddah-based LCC to a new level, in terms of offering new routes and increased frequencies on existing sectors.

The A330s are deployed on Hajj and Umrah pilgrimage flights. These form a significant business sector for Flynas, and the airline flew more than 100,000 pilgrims from more than 13 countries during the last Hajj season of 1444 AH (2023). Since Flynas’ launch in 2007, it has carried more than two million pilgrims to make their devotions in Saudi Arabia.

Even before the planned expansion of the fleet, Flynas has reported record performance figures. In 2023, it carried 11.1 million passengers, a 28 per cent increase over 2022.

Last year was one of considerable expansion, with no fewer than 19 new aircraft delivered, an increase of 35 per cent on the fleet size compared with 2022. The company also launched services to a remarkable 57 new destinations in 10 countries during the year, inaugurated its fourth operations base at Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah, and increased seat capacity by 22 per cent for domestic and international flights.

"We have succeeded in doubling the size of our fleet by more than 100 per cent in less than two years,” noted Almohanna. “Flynas is determined to pursue its expansion to new markets, with announcements to be made during the first quarter of 2024 [these had not been announced at the time of writing], as the aviation industry in the Kingdom is experiencing unprecedented development thanks to the prosperity of the Kingdom's economy, with the support of Saudi Vision 2030 programmes in various sectors, notably tourism and travel."

Vision 2030 is the plan to diversify the Kingdom’s economy away from hydrocarbons. Tourism and the air transport sector form major planks of the plan, with the country aiming to welcome 150 million tourists a year by the end of the decade.

Flynas is also seeking to increase its flights to Europe. Among recent route launches, it has announced three flights a week from Jeddah to both Brussels and Marseille and more services are planned.

Heading east, the airline, like many Gulf carriers, has an extensive network of destinations in the Indian subcontinent, taking advantage of the huge flows of workers and families that travel between the two regions every year.

More recently, Flynas has also sought to tap into the new market of Central Asia, providing flights to cities previously poorly served by international services, such as Tashkent and Namangan (Uzbekistan), Bishkek and Osh (Kyrgyzstan) and Almaty (Kazakhstan.) The largely Moslem populations of those states have an interest not only in travelling to Saudi Arabia for religious reasons, but also to use it as a jumping-off point for travel further afield.

Like other Saudi airlines, Flynas is benefitting from its partnership with the country’s Air Connectivity Program (ACP), which aims to develop existing and new routes to attract tourists to Saudi Arabia. ACP offers market entry support, ensuring route sustainability.

Flynas is also looking to move into completely new areas of activity. In a move designed to tap into what promises to be one of the most exciting aviation sectors of the next 10 years, in December last year, the airline signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Brazilian urban air mobility manufacturer Eve Air Mobility to explore the future of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft operations in Saudi Arabia.

The two companies will explore the possibility of starting eVTOL operations in Riyadh and Jeddah in 2026.

The first generation of this new class of small aircraft is designed to ferry four passengers and a pilot on ultra-short journeys – for example, covering the last leg between a passenger arriving at an airport and their final destination, perhaps a downtown hotel or a holiday resort.

Once the aircraft has gained in-service experience and the necessary regulatory approvals have been achieved, the aim is that it will be able to operate autonomously – without a pilot – and carry up to six people.

Eve’s aircraft combines conventional fixed wings with multiple rotors like a helicopter with a pusher propeller. With a range of 60 miles (100 km), the aircraft is designed to offer a sustainable commute and reduced-noise footprint, with substantial noise reduction during cruise. The latter quality is particularly important given the aim to operate from urban sites.

“This partnership [with Flynas] represents not only a milestone in our shared vision for sustainable air travel, but also a commitment to shaping a more efficient, eco-friendly and accessible transportation landscape,” said Johann Bordais, CEO of Eve.

“We look forward to embarking on this groundbreaking journey with Flynas as we join forces to advance the future of air mobility in Saudi Arabia.”

The agreement will contribute to Saudi Arabia’s aviation industry by building and supporting the future local ecosystem for electric flights. The partnership will also contribute to Vision 2030 sustainability goals and the ambitious targets for this in the aviation sector.

This collaborative effort between Eve and Flynas and the introduction of eVTOL flights to Saudi Arabia will provide travellers with another option for urban transportation, the companies say.