flyadeal, the digitally-native low-cost airline that is part of Saudi’s flag carrier Saudia, is adopting ‘disruptive technology’ to facilitate efficient and simplified travel experience, and support the ambitious aim of the ‘Saudi Vision 2030’ to attract 150 million visitors annually, a report said.

The airline flyadeal hopes to achieve 99% of all transactions, including managing bookings, through its enhanced new-age digital mobile app, by the end of this year, Future Travel Experience said.

This will be in addition to its plan to triple its fleet size to over 100 aircraft within six years through continued investment in fuel-efficient aircraft.

This year is all about strengthening the domestic network, which accounts for 80% of the airline’s operations, said Steven Greenway, CEO, flyadeal.

“From 2025, it’s about ramping up growth beyond Saudi Arabia.”

“Our network will increase three-fold to 100 destinations by 2030 tapping into new markets in the Middle East, Europe and Asia. Our strategy continues to be a pioneering and innovating airline, investing in disruptive technology to make the passenger experience simple, efficient and user-friendly.”

He said that continued investment in new technology and latest applications have been integral to flyadeal’s growth strategy.

By the middle of 2024, flyadeal said it will hit a cumulative total of 30 million passengers flown since its first flight in September 2017.

The airline will round off 2024 having carried 10 million passengers in a calendar year for the first time, and grow its headcount by almost 80% to 2,000 employees.

Greenway adds that flyadeal wants to be the airline of choice with eyes on a bigger network and more milestone figures reached in passengers, fleet and routes over the next 10 years.

“But I think the narrative will be driven by the vast scale in which the kingdom’s tourism infrastructure is developing to swell the number of domestic and inbound tourists, including vitally important Hajj and Umrah religious movements.

“Saudi Arabia is a large country that all of a sudden opened up to the world. International visitors are beginning to discover the kingdom, Saudis are increasingly discovering parts of their own country while also taking more international trips. The appetite for travel and discovery is, and will, continue to accelerate.”