By Saleh Fareed

JEDDAH — In a bid to expand its international network, India’s budget passenger carrier IndiGo has entered the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with the launch of the first frequency between Mumbai and Jeddah last June 5, according to its Chief Commercial Officer.

Talking about the introduction of the new routes on Monday here in Jeddah, William Boulter, chief commercial officer, IndiGom said “we are now expanding our international reach through the launch of this new flights to Saudi Arabia starting with Jeddah. We are committed to strengthen and grow our international network, which is in line with our overall growth strategy. With the addition of this new international flights, we are committed to expanding our network to meet the requirements of both business and leisure travelers from Saudi Arabia.”

He added: “ As we expand our presence in the Middle East, we are delighted to commence operations to Saudi Arabia with daily direct flights between Mumbai-Jeddah. We see a huge potential on the route, with Jeddah being the commercial capital and gateway to the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah. Direct connectivity will promote social cohesion between the two countries with extensive cultural, business and tourism links.”

He said IndiGo will expand its routes here in Saudi Arabia after Jeddah to reach Riyadh and Dammam.

IndiGo will continue to offer on-time, affordable, courteous and hassle-free flying experience consistently, he noted.

The airline would be looking at ambitious expansion in the international market and utilize around 50 percent of its new capacity on that market.

IndiGo is the country’s largest domestic carrier with a market share of 42.5 percent, has more than 200 planes, and operates over 1,300 daily flights.