g500 From United States of America, joined Oct 2011, 724 posts, RR: 0 Posted (3 months 2 weeks 1 day 3 hours ago) and read 7552 times:
Saudi Arabian is expecting 20 777-300ER aircraft... The airline's CEO outlined his North American aspirations
He anticipates launching Toronto late 2013 and LAX early 2014
I was expecting another carrier from the Mid East to announce LAX soon, but it definetly wasn't Saudi Arabian. I was expecting an announcement from Qatar or Etihad. Definitely a surprise
Thanks.
I don't know a whole lot about SV or JED but will this be mainly a O&D route?
Why would anyone choose JED as a transfer point as opposed to DXB?
By the way, how many flights a week any ideas?
Probably there is a market. There are tons of Lebanese/Indian/Pakistanese/Syrian in Saudi Arabia who have Canadian passport (they lived there for 3 or 4 years to get the "1st world" passport in order to have more security, and then back to Saudi)... sometimes their parents live in Saudi and they live in Canada and so on, so I assume this generates traffic. Also from my experience dealing with locals, I noticed a good number of Saudis have relatives living in Canada (not hard to understand specially for Saudi women... and Canada has very lax immigration rules compared to the likes of the US... so it is an easy safe haven). And most of them seem to prefer Ontario compared to Western provinces (compared to Asians, for instance).
Also, there are more and more Saudi students in NA (I think now they are the 2nd or 3rd contingent of foreign students in the US!) and I reckon a good number of them also study in Canadian universities.
klwright69 From Saudi Arabia, joined Jan 2000, 1787 posts, RR: 3 Reply 12, posted (3 months 2 weeks 21 hours ago) and read 6104 times:
It's about time Saudia adds another US destination. They are an okay airline to fly with, and I've flown them plenty. Saudia often has LOW fares to the USA.
CaliAtenza From United States of America, joined Dec 2006, 1130 posts, RR: 0 Reply 15, posted (3 months 2 weeks 17 hours ago) and read 5600 times:
Quoting Flyingsottsman (Reply 4): I bet it wont be to long before LAX will see either EY QR or both parked at TBIT.
ive been hearing since 2010 that QR and EY were going to fly to LAX and nothing has happened since then, meanwhile EK has come, added two flights a day, and then taken 1 flight off due to 777s being needed elsewhere. Surely QR and EY know the market are there...
gabrielchew From United Kingdom, joined Aug 2005, 2512 posts, RR: 13 Reply 17, posted (3 months 2 weeks 16 hours ago) and read 5435 times:
Perhaps with all this expansion into the West, the authorities might make TWOV slightly easier (i.e. let transit pax leave the airport for a night or two, rather than being stuck in the deathy boring terminals). Fingers crossed.
usflyer msp From United States of America, joined May 2000, 1785 posts, RR: 0 Reply 18, posted (3 months 2 weeks 15 hours ago) and read 5305 times:
Quoting gabrielchew (Reply 17): Perhaps with all this expansion into the West, the authorities might make TWOV slightly easier (i.e. let transit pax leave the airport for a night or two, rather than being stuck in the deathy boring terminals). Fingers crossed.
Don't hold your breath waiting. More realistically, they might add some more amenities inside of the airports for transit passengers...
Actually one of the very few public spaces (other than Western compounds, embassies, etc.) in Saudi where their particular rules (i.e. women covered with the abaya, separation of men and women in cafes, etc.) do not really apply are the airside in airpots (and planes itself), other than the obvious like alcohol.
I guess it wouldn't really be very practical to separate women and men while they are waiting for a plane (specially when you consider that they are going to be mixed inside the plane anyway), it would probably pose some problem with foreign companies to obligue SQ or MH air hostesses to be covered with the abaya until the moment they enter the plane... and at the end of the day those passengers are buying a ticket to a sinful place like Europe, the US, Beirut or Dubai... so why bother if they are going to sin in a few hours anyway .
Gr8Circle From Canada, joined Dec 2005, 2986 posts, RR: 4 Reply 23, posted (3 months 2 weeks 14 hours ago) and read 4597 times:
Quoting TK787 (Reply 7): Why would anyone choose JED as a transfer point as opposed to DXB?
Absolutely.....I personally, would never choose JED over DXB, but that's my choice.....I'm guesssing there would be a lot of India and other S.Asia bound passengers who would go for SV if the fares were lower......
Quoting lax777lr (Reply 16): 15+ hour flights with no wine or cocktails? No thank you.
Again, this would be an important factor for some passengers (like me) , but for some others, the fare and only the fare, would matter....
All in all, if it provides more options to S.Asian destinations like India, and helps to even slightly bring down the absolutely ridiculous fares that airlines charge during peak season, I'll be very happy......
SCQ83 From United States of America, joined Oct 2012, 459 posts, RR: 0 Reply 24, posted (3 months 2 weeks 13 hours ago) and read 4489 times:
Quoting Gr8Circle (Reply 23): Again, this would be an important factor for some passengers (like me) , but for some others, the fare and only the fare, would matter....
Egyptair is a dry airline as well and it is relatively successful with transit passengers.
Gr8Circle From Canada, joined Dec 2005, 2986 posts, RR: 4 Reply 25, posted (3 months 2 weeks 12 hours ago) and read 3942 times:
Quoting SCQ83 (Reply 24): Egyptair is a dry airline as well and it is relatively successful with transit passengers
Thanks....I didn't know that.....but that's exactly what I'm saying....there will be passengers who choose to fly SV irrespective of no alchohol onboard and transiting through RUH or JED.....I never said they won't be successful anywhere in my thread above......
Continental From United States of America, joined Jun 2000, 5476 posts, RR: 21 Reply 26, posted (3 months 2 weeks 10 hours ago) and read 3100 times:
Quoting Gr8Circle (Reply 23): Again, this would be an important factor for some passengers (like me) , but for some others, the fare and only the fare, would matter....
All in all, if it provides more options to S.Asian destinations like India, and helps to even slightly bring down the absolutely ridiculous fares that airlines charge during peak season, I'll be very happy......
gabrielchew From United Kingdom, joined Aug 2005, 2512 posts, RR: 13 Reply 28, posted (3 months 2 weeks 2 hours ago) and read 1239 times:
Quoting Continental (Reply 26): You could always smuggle some booze on the plane
It would be fairly easy to bring a couple of minatures onboard with you. Having said that, most people can live without booze for a few hours. The inflight catering on SV is actually pretty good.
pnwtraveler From Canada, joined Jun 2007, 2046 posts, RR: 12 Reply 29, posted (3 months 2 weeks ago) and read 1105 times:
Quoting gabrielchew (Reply 28): Quoting Continental (Reply 26):
You could always smuggle some booze on the plane
It would be fairly easy to bring a couple of minatures onboard with you. Having said that, most people can live without booze for a few hours. The inflight catering on SV is actually pretty good.
I love a good wine or single malt but if someone can't go on one flight without alcohol it says more about the person than the restrictions of the airline.
I am enjoying all the new liveries that are coming to YYZ. Now if only Cathay will schedule the B748F for spotters and not their cargo requirements all will be well .
It will be interesting to see how Saudi markets these flights. I have a strong feeling there might be some built up demand for family who are in both countries to more easily visit each other. Indian, Pakistani, and Philippinos for example who are in both countries. There is also a lot of white collar and professional Canadians who work for prescribed periods in Saudi and go back and forth every few months. It is also Canada's second largest export market in the region with lots of room for growth.
Viscount724 From Switzerland, joined Oct 2006, 21465 posts, RR: 24 Reply 32, posted (3 months 1 week 6 days 17 hours ago) and read 818 times:
Quoting AirForceAM (Reply 31): Does anyone know if Americans or Canadians need a Saudi visa in order to make a connection in Saudi Arabia and you remain "in transit" at the airport?
No transit visa required for U.S. or Canadian passports unless the passport contains a stamp for Israel in which case they would probably be refused entry.
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, but for some others, the fare and only the fare, would matter....
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