New Saudi airline to launch flights to Islamabad, Lahore

Saudi Arabia's new national airline, Riyadh Air, has announced flights to Islamabad and Lahore, marking another step in the carrier's expansion across Asia.

The airline announced that its first flight to Islamabad will take off on August 14, followed by Lahore on August 18 and Manila on September 9.

According to Riyadh Air, the launch of these routes is part of its plan to strengthen Riyadh's position as a global aviation hub and supports Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 strategy.

The airline said the Pakistan routes reflect the strong economic and cultural ties between the two countries. The new services are expected to cater to business travellers, tourists, overseas workers and families, particularly the large Pakistani community living in Saudi Arabia.

Passengers will also have access to connecting flights to destinations across the Middle East and Europe.

Riyadh Air will operate daily flights between Riyadh and Islamabad through two separate services. Flight RX0659 will run four times a week on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, departing Riyadh at 1:45pm and arriving in Islamabad at 8:00pm.

The second service, RX0661, will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. It will leave Riyadh at 8:10pm and land in Islamabad at 2:25am the following day.