SEPANG: The free visa regulation will be a boon for all Malaysians and Saudis travelling in both countries in the future.
"We see huge potential in Malaysia market for Saudi to increase 35 flights per week next year’s summer from the current 25 flights weekly,” Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) regional manager Ahmed W Alowedi said at the welcoming ceremony of Saudia’s maiden commercial flight operation of its latest Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner from Jeddah to Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) today.
He said the airline’s latest Boeing aircraft, B787-10 capable to carrying 359 passengers compared to 274 passengers with B787-9, previously.
Saudia's Boeing Dreamliner 787-10 has arrived at KLIA at 5.30 pm today, following its maiden commercial flight from Jeddah’s new terminal at King Abdulaziz International Airport.
Ambassador of Saudi Arabia in Malaysia, Mahmud Qattan said the Saudi Kingdom has issued about 2,500 E-visas for Malaysians in the past three weeks.
In addition, the Saudi government had issued about 284,000 umrah visas (excluded haj) for Malaysians last year, while Saudi recorded about 112,000 tourists visited Malaysia.
Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) group chief executive officer Raja Azmi Raja Nazuddin said the national carrier of Saudi Arabia’s posted a 9.8 per cent growth in passenger movement to 379,746 passengers in the first eight months of 2019 compared to 345,852 passenger recorded in the same period a year ago.
“We are confident that Saudi Arabia’s national carrier will grow even stronger for the benefit of all travelers. This is also in line with our aim to establish KLIA as the preferred hub by offering passengers with excellent and seamless connectivity and a joyful travel experience,” he said.
The latest addition of the aircraft joins Saudia’s existing fleet of 13 Boeing 787-9s.
Saudia flies nonstop daily between Jeddah and Kuala Lumpur with seven weekly services.
The services will be operated with the new Boeing 787-10 and subsequently will gradually increase twice daily from November 2019.
The layout of the Saudi Boeing 787-10 comprising 357 seats in a two-class configuration, with 24 seats in Business Class and 333 seats in Guest Class (Economy).
In addition to the 787-10, Saudi operates 13 units of 787-9 Dreamliner airplanes, and 33 units of 777-300ER (Extended Range) jets.
The 787-10 as a stretch of the 787-9, adds about 59 more seats in a two-class configuration and cargo capacity, offering 25 percent better fuel per seat and fewer emissions than the airplanes it replaces.
With a range 11,750 km, the 787-10 capable to fly more than 95 percent of the world’s twin-aisle routes.