KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has announced the addition of Riyadh to its regional network of destinations. KLM will operate a direct flight from Amsterdam to the capital city of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and has also announced adjustments to the wider schedule of flights in the Gulf to integrate Riyadh into the network, for the convenience of customers. The first service operating to Riyadh will start on January 11.
Riyadh becomes KLM’s second destination in Saudi Arabia, where it has operated services for more than 70 years. The airline already serves Dammam in the Eastern Province of the Kingdom, where the first KLM flight operated on April 21, 1950.KLM will fly directly from Amsterdam to Riyadh two times a week, on the return flight a short stop-over in Dubai will be made. KLM currently operates services to five destinations in the Gulf from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport: Dubai (UAE), Dammam and Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), Muscat (Oman), Kuwait City (Kuwait). Customers travelling on KLM to and from Dubai now have the option of two additional flights in each direction. Air France offers daily flights from Dubai to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. Air France KLM group operates a total of 21 flights per week from the Gulf to Paris, Amsterdam and beyond to the group’s global network. Yeshwant Pawar, General Manager for the Gulf, Saudi Arabia, Iran & Pakistan at Air France KLM, commented: “Adding Riyadh as a new destination in the key region of the Gulf and adjusting our current schedule strengthens KLM’s network in the Middle East.”