flyadeal launches Mumbai-Riyadh service, its second India destination

MUMBAI: Saudi low-cost carrier flyadeal has launched a non-stop service between Mumbai and Riyadh, making Mumbai its second destination in India after Hyderabad.The Riyadh-Mumbai service commenced on October 3 and was operated by flyadeal Chief Operating Officer Capt Abdulaziz Bahri along with Chief Pilot Capt Ali Hakim. The airline had entered the Indian market with flights to Hyderabad on July 3.flyadeal will operate the Mumbai-Riyadh route five times a week with Airbus A320neo aircraft, adding more than 7,400 seats a month between the two cities.The airline said the flights have been timed to offer mid-morning arrival into Riyadh from Mumbai and morning arrival into Mumbai from Riyadh. Passengers can also connect to destinations including Abha, Dammam, Jeddah and Madinah on a single booking, with through fares and baggage checked through to the final destination.Sanjiv Kapoor, acting chief executive officer of flyadeal and executive vice president, Strategies, Saudia Group, said: “India is one of the world's largest and fastest-growing aviation markets and a strategic priority for flyadeal as we continue to expand our international network. With Saudi Arabia now one of India's top three largest international travel markets and travel and tourism flows between the two countries continuing to grow, we see tremendous potential to connect more travellers through convenient, affordable and reliable services”.Kapoor added: “As the third-largest low-cost airline in the Middle East region, we are committed to strengthening our presence in India, and Mumbai is an important milestone in that journey. Beyond connecting Mumbai with Saudi Arabia's capital, the new service also opens up convenient access to destinations across the Kingdom through seamless onward connections on a single booking. Importantly, flyadeal flights use the state-of-the-art Terminal 1 at Jeddah with bullet train access directly from the terminal to both Makkah and Madinah, as well as Terminal 4 at Riyadh which offer quick and seamless connections to flyadeal’s extensive domestic network. Combined with other new initiatives that provide greater flexibility, convenience, and peace of mind when planning travel, we are enhancing the overall customer experience while remaining committed to delivering dependable travel at affordable fares.”The airline said its A320neos operating on the route have 186 seats in an all-Economy Class configuration, with USB-A or USB-C charging ports and Airbus’ Airspace cabin interior.flyadeal, a member of Saudia Group, said its expansion in India was part of its international growth strategy and supported Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, which seeks to boost global connectivity and attract more visitors through growth in aviation and tourism.The airline currently operates a fleet of 47 Airbus A320 family aircraft from bases in Riyadh, Jeddah, Madinah and Dammam to more than 40 seasonal and year-round destinations across Saudi Arabia, the Middle East, Europe, North Africa and South Asia. It carried more than 10 million passengers in 2025.flyadeal said it expects to more than double its network and fleet to over 100 destinations and aircraft respectively by 2030. It is also scheduled to receive Airbus A321neos and A330-900neos from 2027 as part of its expansion.You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.