en.Wedoany.com Reported - Riyadh Air has officially launched direct flights between Riyadh and Kuala Lumpur, with the inaugural flight successfully arriving at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, marking the airline's first entry into the Southeast Asian market. The new route operates three times weekly, flying from King Khalid International Airport (RUH) to Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL).
Inaugural flight celebrations were held in both Riyadh and Kuala Lumpur. The departure ceremony commenced at the check-in area of King Khalid International Airport, attended by Riyadh Air management and airport executives; upon arrival, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
Tony Douglas, Chief Executive Officer of Riyadh Air, stated that this inaugural flight represents a significant milestone in the company's development, establishing its first destination in Southeast Asia through this route. He noted that this route is not only a direct connection between the two capitals but also creates a new air bridge between Saudi Arabia and the ASEAN region, facilitating business, tourism, and educational travel while supporting the goal of developing the aviation sector under Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030.
Dato' Mohd Izani Ghani, Managing Director of Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad, said that Riyadh Air's choice of Kuala Lumpur as its first Southeast Asian destination holds positive significance for both Kuala Lumpur International Airport and Malaysia. Riyadh Air is the ninth Middle Eastern airline to operate at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, and its addition further enhances the airport's connectivity with the Middle East region, while also strengthening Kuala Lumpur International Airport's role as a regional aviation hub in Southeast Asia.
The specific flight schedule is as follows: For the Riyadh to Kuala Lumpur direction, flight number RX 0863 operates every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, departing Riyadh at 10:50 PM local time and arriving in Kuala Lumpur at 11:50 AM the following day; for the Kuala Lumpur to Riyadh direction, flight number RX 0864 operates every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, departing Kuala Lumpur at 4:45 PM local time and arriving in Riyadh at 7:45 PM.
The launch of this route was supported through collaboration with Saudi Arabia's Air Connectivity Program. This program is the executive body of Saudi Arabia's national tourism and aviation strategy, responsible for driving the expansion of the route network. The new route will strengthen ties between Saudi Arabia and Malaysia in areas such as tourism, business, education, and trade, while also providing Malaysian travelers with more convenient air access to Saudi Arabia for Umrah and Hajj, and offering Saudi travelers new travel options to Malaysia and other Southeast Asian destinations.
