Sunday, August 4, 2024 ITA Airways is enhancing its footprint in Saudi Arabia with the introduction of a new direct route between Rome and Jeddah. This expansion marks the airline’s second destination in the Kingdom and will feature three weekly flights. The inaugural flight, operated by an Airbus A321neo, touched down at King Abdulaziz International Airport at 9:10 p.
m. local time, receiving a ceremonial water arch welcome. The return flight from Jeddah to Rome took off at 3:30 a.
m. local time today. To commemorate this milestone, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held at Jeddah International Airport’s arrival gate.
Attendees included Irene Buongiorno, Vice Consul General of Italy in Jeddah; Rashed Al-Shammari, Vice President of Aviation Development at Air Connectivity Program; Glen Wilson, Vice President of Operations at Jeddah Airports; Amira Afandi, Director of Corporate Communication and Public Relations at Jeddah Airports; Pierfrancesco Carino, Vice President of International Sales at ITA Airways; and Benedetto Mencaroni, Regional Manager for Asia, Middle East, and Africa at ITA Airways. “We are delighted to inaugurate our first nonstop flight between Jeddah and Rome, strengthening our presence in Saudi Arabia, a rapidly growing market”, said Emiliana Limosani, Chief Commercial Officer of ITA Airways and CEO of Volare. “This new opening follows the launch of the nonstop connection to Riyadh in June and is part of our ongoing summer network expansion, which boasts excellent booking results.
Operated with the state-of-the-art A321neo, this new flight will expand the medium-haul network and enhance commercial and cultural exchanges between the Arabian Peninsula and Italy, while also providing connections with our array of destinations accessible via our Rome Fiumicino hub”. “We are delighted to see ITA Airways commencing the route between Rome and our coastal and historical city of Jeddah, which will further enhance our air connectivity to KSA. Travelers from ITA Airways’ network in Italy, Europe, and the Americas will enjoy a more seamless journey to explore the untapped potential of Jeddah.
We look forward to further strengthening our collaboration with a great partner, ITA Airways”, said Mazin Johar, CEO of Jeddah Airports (JEDCO) and Majid Khan, CEO of Air Connectivity Program (ACP). “As a representative of the Italian Consulate, I am thrilled to be part of the strengthening partnership between Italy and Saudi Arabia through the launch of the new roundtrip Rome-Jeddah flight. It truly is a testimony of the friendship between the two countries, which not only is rooted in a deep historic relationship, but is further developing the commercial friendship with expanding opportunities”, said Irene Buongiorno, Vice Consul General of Italy in Jeddah.
“The new ITA Airways intercontinental route will boost the promotion of our beloved country into Saudi Arabia. Likewise, it is with great pleasure to be part of this unique opportunity for my fellow Italians to be able to discover the kingdom, a beautiful country that I have had the chance to call home for the past seven years. I would like to wish all the success to ITA Airways and King Abdulaziz International Airport, and cannot wait to see the positive impact that this new flight will bring”.
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