Rwy31R From Saudi Arabia, joined Aug 2001, 452 posts, RR: 0 Posted (7 years 1 month 2 weeks 2 days 14 hours ago) and read 5293 times:
Sama, the new airline in the Kingdom plans to fly next summer.
Any one has any information about this new low cost airline?
It seems that they are keeping very conservative on thier plans for marketing reasons.
Any information including, hub, eqiupment to be used, services future plans, IATA/ICAO codes etc would be much appreciated.
EurostarVA From Bahrain, joined May 2002, 1296 posts, RR: 8 Reply 3, posted (7 years 1 month 2 weeks 1 day 17 hours ago) and read 5159 times:
Quoting Rwy31R (Reply 2): Hopefully they will provide more -needed- frquent flights to BAH!
Yes, and the timing of those flights will have to arrive in Bahrain at midnight...with return flights by early morning, so I guess Sama a/c will fill Bahrain at night time
HiJazzey From Saudi Arabia, joined Sep 2005, 788 posts, RR: 1 Reply 4, posted (7 years 1 month 2 weeks 1 day 17 hours ago) and read 5147 times:
They'll operate B733s. As for routes, don't expect international service in the short term, they're expected to start off with the RUH-JED corridor and build up from there.
Scalebuilder From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 7, posted (7 years 1 month 2 weeks 1 day 13 hours ago) and read 5068 times:
Quoting HiJazzey (Reply 4): They'll operate B733s. As for routes, don't expect international service in the short term, they're expected to start off with the RUH-JED corridor and build up from there.
Sorry for a rather ignorant question, but maybe you guys can fill in some of the details...
How would you describe the nature of the Saudi Arabian air travel market? Expanding, or even booming, like we have seen in Europe or Asia, or is it more steady and stable like here in the US? In your opinion, how price sensitive is this market? Is the coming presence of this low-cost airline going to fill in a void in the market that is known to exist today?
I know I could search for some factual statistics out there and likely get the answer somewhat "on the money", but I simply can't resist asking you guys directly .
HiJazzey From Saudi Arabia, joined Sep 2005, 788 posts, RR: 1 Reply 8, posted (7 years 1 month 2 weeks 1 day 9 hours ago) and read 5028 times:
I wouldn't call it a boom, but it is growing healthily. It's been averaging 7% growth in pax movement YoY. And it has natural advantages:
- Long distances: Saudi Arabia is a big country, with spread out cities.
- Little competition: There is virtually no rail service*, and the roads aren't a viable alternative (expect between Riyadh - Dammam, and Jeddah - Medina).
The market has a good mix, there's strong premium traffic between the main population centres and also large leisure traffic. There's also a lot of people who can't afford to fly, who at the moment are forced to take the long coach ride or drive. The latter two are the main targets for Sama (and NAS's upcoming LCC) and I expect they will be a big growth area in the domestic and regional market.
*There is railway service between Riyadh and Dammam, but it is useless. It takes longer than driving. However, please note there is a massive railway network expansion happening in Saudi, with the landbridge project linking Jubail-Dammam-Riyadh-Jeddah, and MMRL linking Mecca-Jeddah-Medina. The landbridge is mainly a freight line though, so pax trains will run at a top speed of only 220km/h with priority to freight, whilst the MMRL is specified as a high speed link (still early stages, no details out yet, but I have been told they might even be considering a maglev system).
Scalebuilder From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 9, posted (7 years 1 month 2 weeks 10 hours ago) and read 4961 times:
Quoting HiJazzey (Reply 8): Long distances: Saudi Arabia is a big country, with spread out cities.
- Little competition: There is virtually no rail service*, and the roads aren't a viable alternative (expect between Riyadh - Dammam, and Jeddah - Medina).
Thanks for replying, and thanks for your insights.
I figured that the people of Saudia Arabia would depend more on air transportation rather than any other means of transportation due to its vastness. This country is simply enormous in terms of area!!
It can't be an easy task for the government to maintain a good road or rail system accessible for everyone in a country as big as this, and to keep this in a good and safe condition at all times. Must be expensive.
Cheaper air transportation for everyone makes sense. I will follow the onset of SAMA with a lot of interest.
Hijazzy.. do you think they will utilize the unused terminal at RUH?
Quoting CXA330300 (Reply 5): how serious competition is it for SV?
Well obviosly it will start small with no real contest for now, but if they play thier cards right, get better reliable internet connection making more people make more online transactions, with the concept of pravitization of SV.. I see a very bright future for Sama. Perhaps more open Saudi Skies even. Time will tell.
Quoting Scalebuilder (Reply 9): I figured that the people of Saudia Arabia would depend more on air transportation
Indeed. And as Hijazzy said, the lack of other proper means of transport make airtravel a must.
No matter how big SV is, it is failing to cope with the demands of airtravel in the Kingdom, specially in the domestic and most of the regieonal sector at peak times (weekends and holidays).
It is high time for healthy competition.
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