Tag Archives: Jeddah

Saudi Arabia’s new low-fare airline flyadeal has received a welcome market response since the start of services, with load factors reaching more than 82 per cent. flyadeal currently operates on three routes from Jeddah to Riyadh, Dammam and Qassim. Having commenced operations on September 23, Jeddah-Riyadh was the first city pair, beginning as a double-daily service, quickly growing to five-times-daily. Dammam and Qassim began this month, with Jeddah-Dammam increasing to double daily later this month. flyadeal currently has a fleet of three aircraft, with an additional five to be delivered. All are brand new A320 aircraft in a single-class configuration of 186 seats. Con Korfiatis, CEO, flyadeal, said, “flyadeal has received a very warm welcome from our passengers so far and we are grateful for their support. We look forward to continue serving our loyal guests as we move into the next phase of expansion in the coming months.”

TIME Hotels unveiled its first resort at WTM London with the launch of TIME Beach Villas Resort in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Opening its doors in December 2017, the resort will comprise 61 units with detailed Arabic architecture encompassing a full reflection of authentic Gulf design. Mohamed Awadalla, CEO, TIME Hotels, said, “This resort has been built with both corporate and leisure visitors in mind. It is perfect for long staying corporate guests as well as short stay family getaways. We, at TIME Hotels, have an in-depth understanding of these market segments, how to add value and drive in business.” Located close to the beach and at a 20 minutes’ drive from Jeddah International Airport and city centre, the midrange resort will offer fitness and leisure facilities, high-speed WiFi, LED televisions in all rooms along with concierge and business services.

Deer Jet has granted charter management of the world’s first and only VVIP outfitted Boeing 787, the ‘Dream Jet’ to UAS International Trip Support.  The Dream Jet will be based at the strategic hub of Dubai and UAS will be promoting the aircraft to its Middle Eastern, African and European customer base of UHNWI, and Royal and Presidential entourages. Another 787 Dream Jet display took place at Jeddah’s King Abdulaziz International Airport from October 3-4, where potential customers were invited for private tours of the aircraft. Appealing to the world’s most discerning business and leisure travellers, the jet offers 7-star services along with advanced technology. Capable of flying non-stop over 16,000 kilometres for 18.5 hours straight, the aircraft is both efficient and luxurious. Along with the main lounge, dining area and guest cabin, it also has a master bedroom, dressing area and washroom.

Emirates will be operating 45 additional flights to Jeddah and 12 additional flights to Medina from August 17 until September 11 to help serve 2 million pilgrims expected to travel to the Holy City of Mecca during Hajj this year. These services will run in parallel with Emirates’ regularly scheduled services to Jeddah. The airline will also be operating its A380 to Medina which will also support the increased demand during this period. The additional services are available to travellers holding a valid Hajj visa. This year, top inbound destinations Emirates is expecting Hajj pilgrims to come from are Yangon, Manchester, Mauritius, Jakarta, Karachi, Lagos and Nairobi. Adil Al Ghaith, Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations, Gulf, Middle East and Iran, Emirates, said, “With a sizeable increase in demand for air travel during this period, Emirates is helping to make the journey more seamless for the scores of pilgrims making their way to the Holy City of Mecca. Whether it’s in the air or on the ground, Emirates aims to provide all its customers with the best experience in line with their faith, particularly at this significant time and important journey.” On the ground, Emirates has appointed a dedicated group of airport staff to seamlessly facilitate the passenger ground experience for Hajj. In addition, dedicated check-in counters have been set up for Hajj passengers in Dubai. In the air, several initiatives have been planned in keeping with the values and traditions that pilgrims uphold when travelling for Hajj. Extra provisions will be made to accommodate Hajj traveller needs such as performing ablutions, advising passengers about Al Miqat and Ihram (the phase when pilgrims enter a state of sanctity) and other arrangements …

Spectrums Residence, the new 69-unit residence is located on Prince Sultan Road in the Al Salamah district, near shopping malls, schools, entertainment parks and hospitals, making it the perfect location for family living. Close to amenities that support business services, this is also an ideal location for business travelers looking for flexible pricing options. The Ascott Limited (Ascott) is expanding its presence in Jeddah with the opening of Spectrums Residence. It will be the fourth property, a local that complements the Ascott Sari, Ascott Tahlia and Citadines Al Salamah Jeddah. “We are honoured to have the opportunity to manage Spectrums Residence, which complements our existing properties in Jeddah. With a fourth property in the city, Ascott has strengthened its position as the leading international serviced residence operator in Jeddah” says Vincent Miccolis, Ascott’s Country General Manager, Middle East & Turkey. Residents can choose from a range of furnished two-bedroom apartments, each of which has separate living, dining, kitchen and work areas. The property features 24-hour reception, housekeeping services, breakfast room, gymnasium, children’s playroom, prayer rooms and smoking lounge. The property also offers meeting and events facilities as well as complimentary parking on-site and easy access to the property.

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has announced the opening of Staybridge Suites Jeddah Alandalus Mall in Alandalus Mall, a prominent shopping destination in Jeddah, with an annual visitor rate exceeding 13 million visitors. The hotel’s connection to Alandalus Mall makes it an attractive location for families as well as transit guests to Makkah. The new hotel has 164 suites: a mix of studios, one- and two-bedroom suites, complete with spacious living areas, fully equipped kitchens, guest laundry rooms and high-speed internet connections. Additionally, the Alandalus Mall will complement the hotel’s facilities with offer 7 meeting rooms, a banquet hall, an outdoor swimming pool, a spa, a gym and a business centre. Both business travellers and tourists can now choose this ideal location, situated in the heart of modern Jeddah. The hotel is linked to the most important and vital roads to the south, west and east, including King Abdullah Road and Prince Majed Road, which connect it to the new King Abdulaziz Airport, with a commute of less than 15 minutes. The hotel is also close to Al Haramain Train Station, allowing guests to reach the Grand Mosque in less than 20 minutes. Pascal Gauvin, Chief Operating Officer – IMEA, IHG says, “As part of IHG’s diverse family of brands, Staybridge Suites endeavours to provide guests with the best extended-stay experience possible. We believe our unique offering, coupled with an excellent location near the heart of Jeddah, will allow Staybridge Suites to serve the needs of Saudi Arabia’s families, religious and leisure tourists, and business travellers alike.”

The Elaf Group of Companies, a SEDCO Holding Group company and a leading provider of travel, tourism and hospitality services, has announced the opening of its latest five-star hotel in Jeddah. The latest addition to Elaf Group’s growing portfolio of hotels is part of its recent implementation of a strategic expansion initiative, aimed at further reinforcing its leading presence in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s booming tourism and hospitality segment — in line with the goals and objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 to support the national economy and to promote tourism, particularly tourism for religious purposes, as a key contributor in the efforts to achieve a non-oil economy. Ziyad Bin Mahfouz, CEO, Elaf Group, said, “The new hotel is being expected to help address the demand for more hotel rooms in Jeddah, which clearly demonstrates the country’s rapidly thriving tourism industry — ably reflected in its continuous Year-on-Year (YoY) growth. Rest assured, we remain steadfast in our commitment to provide the highest quality of services to offer an unforgettable experience in our hotel and exemplary service to our guests.

Turkish Airlines has launched new flights from various cities in the Middle East and Germany to key tourist destinations in Turkey. The national carrier will launch direct flights between Turkish cities such as Bodrum, Antalya and Trabzon and the Middle East, beginning from this month. The airlines will be providing a total of 16 weekly flights between Jeddah, Kuwait, Riyadh, Al Qassim, Yanbu, Medina and Trabzon. Furthermore, they will also be providing 13 weekly flights between Jeddah, Baghdad, Erbil, Riyadh, Amman, Kuwait, Sulaymaniyah and Antalya during this summer. Munich, Hamburg, Berlin, Stuttgart are other cities benefitting from the new direct flights, connecting travellers from Germany to Izmir. Additionally, passengers from Kuwait will also be able to travel directly to Izmir. Commenting on these direct flights, Turkish Airlines’ Deputy Chairman and CEO, Bilal Ekşi, said, “We are always looking to provide our passengers with the most convenient and time-efficient way of travel. Tourists worldwide have been continously increasing due to the fantastic attractions and features provided by all our Turkish cities. As we move forward, our goal will be to create these direct flights from all the markets, we operate globally so that travellers can now fly directly to their destination of choice.”  

Etihad Airways is launching a third daily flight on the Abu Dhabi – Bengaluru route, effective 26 March 2017. The triple daily schedule will provide greater choice to local passengers travelling between the two cities, and improved connectivity to destinations across the GCC, North America and Europe via the airline’s Abu Dhabi hub. The capacity increase underscores the airline’s commitment to offer guests more travel options between Abu Dhabi and key destinations across its network. With a new daily late night departure from Abu Dhabi, and early morning service from Bengaluru operated with a two-class Airbus 321, the schedule provides additional online connectivity to and from a number of destinations, including Doha, Jeddah, London, Dublin, New York and Dallas. Peter Baumgartner, Etihad Airways Chief Executive Officer, said: “Our expanded services between Abu Dhabi and Bengaluru are in line with Etihad Airways’ strategy to offer greater travel options when aircraft availability and market conditions permit. The extra flights to Bengaluru will cater to the strong demand between both cities, and bring closer our global network to and from Bengaluru over our Abu Dhabi hub.” Etihad Airways launched flights to Bengaluru, capital of the southern Indian state of Karnataka, in January 2011 with four services a week, rising to daily two months later. It has steadily grown capacity with additional frequencies and aircraft upgrades to its current double daily operation. More than 700,000 guests have been flown on the route over the past six years.

Langham Hospitality Group announced an agreement with Advanced Hotels Company to manage a luxury urban hotel in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Langham, Jeddah will feature extensive banqueting and meeting space totalling in excess of 3,500 square metres. These will include a 480-seat grand ballroom that is linked by a private elevator to a 380-seat ballroom that is located directly above the former (both outfitted with private pre-function areas for added exclusivity), a variety of adaptable conference rooms with the latest in audio-visual equipment, prayer rooms, and three dedicated bridal and groom suites.Strategically located within the downtown core directly across a new shopping complex and with a 360-degree view of the city and Corniche, The Langham, Jeddah is expected to open in the summer of 2018. The agreement was signed in the presence of H.E. Mohammed A. Al-Amri, General Manager, Jeddah, Makkah Province for the Saudi Commission for Tourism & National Heritage. Robert Warman, Chief Executive Officer of Langham Hospitality Group said, “We are delighted to introduce the Langham brand to Jeddah as we have been searching for the ideal location in the Kingdom to add to our portfolio. The creative design of the hotel’s façade and interiors along with the luxury facilities of The Langham, Jeddah, underlined by our legendary award-winning service, will provide an exceptional destination for our guests.” Mohammed Yousef Al Hasan, Chairman and Founder of Advanced Hotels Company stated, “We are proud to partner with Langham Hospitality Group to bring the impeccable service standards and unrivalled heritage from Europe’s first grand hotel to the city of Jeddah.” Guests who prefer to live the high life may choose to stay in the opulent two-bedroom Royal Suite …