Saudi Arabian Airlines to join SkyTeam

2011-01-11 08:56:38 GMT+7 (ICT)

JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA (BNO NEWS) -- Saudi Arabian Airlines on Monday signed an agreement to join SkyTeam in 2012. The airline will be SkyTeam's first member from the Middle East, adding 35 new destinations to the alliance network.

As one of the most important airlines in the Middle East, Saudi Arabian Airlines will be offering the SkyTeam network customers access to new destinations across the region.

Through Saudi Arabia's major hubs of Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam, travelers can connect to new destinations on the Arabian Peninsula, the Indian subcontinent and Northern Africa, such as Alexandria, Aden, Colombo and Islamabad.

SkyTeam members will have access to new potential customers from the region as Saudi Arabian Airlines offers direct flights to Europe, Asia, Africa and the United States.

In addition, customers can transfer to SkyTeam partner flights via hubs such as Paris, Rome, Nairobi and New York-JFK, while China Southern also offers regular connections to Asia from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabian Airlines is currently focused on its four-year turnaround program to be completed by 2013, which includes key elements such as modernization of its infrastructure, restructuring of its domestic and international network and implementing its fleet modernization plan through the purchase of the most advanced aircraft.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-01-11

Sort of as much of an asset as US Airways is to Star Alliance.