Air Arabia Consortium to Launch Operations from Dammam

A consortium comprising Air Arabia Group, Nesma Group, and KUN Holding Company, with majority Saudi ownership, announced that it will commence operations from King Fahd International Airport on September 20, 2026. This follows the granting of an Air Operator Certificate (AOC) by the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) to the consortium, allowing it to launch the Kingdom’s new national budget carrier based in Dammam. Initially, the airline will serve three domestic destinations: Riyadh, Jeddah, and Medinah. The carrier will operate double daily flights from Dammam to Riyadh and Jeddah, while the Dammam to Medinah route will operate daily. Adel Al Ali, Group CEO of Air Arabia, expressed gratitude towards GACA and Dammam Airports for their support, emphasizing the strategic milestone in Air Arabia Group’s growth journey. Eng. Mohammed bin Ali Al-Hassany, CEO of Dammam Airports, highlighted the airport's growing position and the confidence of its partners in its operational capabilities. He reaffirmed Dammam Airports’ commitment to enhancing air connectivity and serving travelers from the Eastern Province. Captain Sulaiman bin Saleh Almuhaimedi of GACA noted that the new carrier will strengthen the Kingdom’s air connectivity by serving 24 domestic and 57 international destinations and is expected to carry approximately 10 million passengers annually by 2030. The new carrier is also expected to create more than 2,400 direct jobs and support tourism growth in the Eastern Province.