National carrier Saudia said its direct flight from Paris carrying 75 passengers onboard a Boeing 787 Dreamliner received a grand welcome on touchdown at AlUla International Airport. 

 

The direct Saudia flight took off from Charles de Gaulle (CDG) Airport in Paris and landed at AlUla International Airport at 10:30pm last night, after a comfortable 5-hour flight.

 

The weekly non-stop flight will operate from 30 January to 27 March 2022, as winter season events enter full swing. 

 

Marking the first direct flight from Europe, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner was welcomed at AlUla Airport by Saudi officials including AlUla Airport Director, Engineer Abdulwahab Bokhari.

 

The guests onboard the inaugural flight included Phillip Jones, Chief Destination Management and Marketing Officer, Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU), Gérard Mestrallet, Executive Chairman of the French Agency for the Development of AlUla, in addition to senior Saudia officials.

 

Guests arriving in AlUla will attend the equestrian events as part of the destination’s Winter at Tantora festival including Pierre Durand, ex-Olympic Champion show-jumper, said the statement from Saudia. 

 

Timed to coincide with the winter event season in AlUla; the new flight will welcome French visitors to explore the ancient desert city and take part in one of many arts, music, cultural events on offer, it added.-TradeArabia News Service