Wizz Air aspires to become part of Saudi aviation’s success story

Wizz Air aspires to become part of Saudi aviation’s success story

RIYADH: With its tourism sector growing by leaps and bounds, Saudi Arabia is also witnessing the entry of major international aviation players keen to capitalize on the opportunities the Kingdom’s travel market has to offer. Wizz Air, a multinational airline, is among the frontrunners that have made substantial investments to boost its operations in the Kingdom.

The airline’s president, Robert Carey, told Arab News that the company’s debut in Saudi Arabia represented its “fastest ramp-up” ever achieved in a single market.

The official explained that out of the total fleet of 185 “we have around 10 aircraft operating in the Kingdom, representing about 7 percent of our total capacity.”

Carey said the number of passengers is growing quite favorably, accompanied by positive feedback, and there is still ample room to enhance the airline’s fare structure.

“When we get to full-scale operations, we will have about 1 million seats from and to Saudi Arabia this summer,” he told Arab News.

The airline’s chief elaborated that a standard full-scale operation usually spans about three years, the first being an investment year, followed by a breakeven point and finally growth. However, in Saudi Arabia, certain aspects are progressing more swiftly than usual, he