flynas Unveils New Madinah Base Network with Seven Routes

Saudi Arabian carrier flynas (XY, Riyadh) is set to launch its new Madinah base network on December 1, 2023, featuring seven routes, including five international destinations. The airline aims to tap into year-round religious traffic to Madinah, positioning itself as an alternative to charter flights. This move follows flynas’ strategy to expand its footprint in Saudi Arabia and enhance its presence in key cities.

The newly revealed routes from Madinah include domestic services to Abha and Tabuk, along with international flights to Dubai International, Istanbul Sabiha Gökcen, Amman Queen Alia, Baghdad, and Ankara Esenboga. In addition to these new routes, flynas will continue operating its existing services connecting Madinah to Jeddah, Riyadh, Dammam, and Cairo International.

flynas plans to initiate operations from its new Madinah base with two aircraft in the initial phase, with intentions to expand both its operations and fleet size. The airline’s CEO, Bander Almohanna, emphasized the strategic significance of the Madinah base and expressed plans to launch more destinations in the future.

Madinah becomes flynas’ fourth base in Saudi Arabia, joining the country’s established gateways of Jeddah, Riyadh, and Dammam. The airline sees an opportunity to cater to religious travel throughout the year, presenting an alternative to charter flights. Currently, Saudia (SV, Jeddah) is the only airline with a crew base at Madinah.

flynas’ current fleet includes nine A320-200s, thirty-nine A320-200Ns, and four A330-300s, with additional orders for sixty-six A320-200Ns and ten A321-200NX(XLR)s from Airbus. The airline’s long-term plan involves growing its fleet to 250 aircraft.

As flynas expands its operations from the Madinah base, industry observers will be watching closely to assess the airline’s success in capturing religious travel demand and its overall growth trajectory within the Saudi Arabian aviation landscape.