Riyadh Air and Saudia have announced the start of the first phase of their strategic partnership, allowing Riyadh Air passengers to book connecting flights via Riyadh to 6 domestic destinations on Saudia flights on a single ticket, with baggage checked through to the final destination.
Under the codeshare agreement, Riyadh Air places its "RX" code on Saudia-operated flights from King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh to Abha, Al Qassim, Dammam, Jeddah, Madinah and Tabuk, according to a post on the Riyadh Air website.
The move allows travelers to combine flights from both airlines in a single booking. For example, a passenger from Dammam can continue via Riyadh to Madrid on one ticket, while a traveler arriving from Kuala Lumpur can fly on via Riyadh to Madinah as part of the same journey.
Schedules for the domestic flights covered by the agreement are being coordinated with Riyadh Air's arrival and departure times at King Khalid International Airport, to provide connection options between international and domestic flights.
With both airlines operating from Terminals 1 to 4 at Riyadh airport, passengers on connecting flights can check their bags through to their final destination without having to re-check them when transferring between flights.
Riyadh Air Business Class passengers can use Saudia lounges at departure airports within the Kingdom, as well as when transferring to Saudia-operated domestic flights from Terminal 4 at King Khalid International Airport.
Benefits also include, where available, priority lanes at security checkpoints and priority boarding on Saudia flights.
Vincent Coste, Chief Commercial Officer at Riyadh Air, said linking the two airlines' technical systems marks the first phase of cooperation with Saudia and helps expand travel and connection options within the Kingdom.
For his part, Arvid Muehlen, Saudia's Chief Commercial Officer, said the codeshare agreement provides wider options for connecting domestic and international flights, with plans to expand the scope of cooperation in the coming period.
Reciprocal benefits between Riyadh Air's "Sfeer" loyalty program and Saudia's "AlFursan" program are expected to launch in the coming months, including earning and redeeming points, as well as lounge access benefits for eligible passengers.
As Riyadh Air's network expands, Saudia also plans to add its "SV" code to a number of Riyadh Air-operated flights. The two airlines said the technical integration took 3 years of development and testing in cooperation with FLYR, INK and Amadeus.
To view the post on the Riyadh Air website, click here.
