The Air Connectivity Program signed a memorandum of understanding with Beyond airline on the sidelines of Saudi Arabia's participation in the Farnborough International Airshow 2026 in London, to explore opportunities for operating direct air routes linking the Red Sea destination with a number of European cities.

The memorandum aims to enhance air connectivity between Red Sea International Airport and London, Paris, Moscow, Milan, Munich, and Zurich, 'supporting tourism growth, expanding travel options, and boosting visitor arrivals from targeted international markets in line with the Kingdom's objectives in the aviation and tourism sectors.'

The memorandum was signed under the patronage of Abdulaziz Al-Duailej, President of the General Authority of Civil Aviation and Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Air Connectivity Program, who emphasized that the agreement 'extends the Kingdom's efforts in building strategic partnerships with international carriers and expanding the air connectivity network in line with the targets of the Aviation Program, the National Tourism Strategy, and Saudi Vision 2030.'

Al-Duailej explained that cooperation with Beyond airline opens 'new horizons for operating routes linking the Red Sea destination with targeted European cities, facilitating visitor access, enhancing the Kingdom's attractiveness as a global tourism destination, and supporting economic development.'

For his part, Ahmed Albrahim, CEO of the Air Connectivity Program, said the memorandum represents 'an extension of the program's efforts to attract international partners and launch distinctive routes linking the Kingdom with targeted markets,' noting 'continued work with the tourism and aviation ecosystems and airlines to expand the international destinations network and stimulate growth in inbound air traffic.'

He added that cooperation with Beyond reflects 'the program's commitment to developing sustainable air connectivity solutions that support promising tourism destinations, foremost among them the Red Sea destination, contributing to increasing visitor numbers and creating economic and development opportunities.'

For his part, John Pagano, CEO of Red Sea Global, the developer of the Red Sea destination, explained that the announcement of the 'Milan route' with Beyond last year revealed the demand for direct flights to the destination, noting that 'the new agreement builds on this momentum by expanding the European network and bringing the destination closer to travelers.'

Abdullah Al-Haqbani, Acting CEO of the Saudi Tourism Authority, pointed out that air connectivity is a pivotal element in developing tourism traffic and enhancing destination competitiveness, stressing that the memorandum 'embodies the integration of efforts between the tourism and aviation sectors to increase the Kingdom's presence in European markets and attract more visitors to enjoy diverse tourism, cultural, and entertainment experiences.'

For his part, Tero Taskila, CEO and Chairman of the Board of Beyond, affirmed that signing the memorandum of understanding is 'an important milestone in the partnership between the company and the Kingdom, and reflects Beyond's commitment to supporting the Kingdom's aspirations in the aviation and tourism sectors.'