UK carriers add notable long-distance routes involving Saudi Arabia Thailand Cape Verde

On February 25, the ultra-low-cost carrier Wizz Air revealed its next route, which the soon-to-be-delivered Airbus A321XLR will operate: London Gatwick to Medinah, Saudi Arabia.

A daily service using Wizz Air UK equipment for bilateral reasons will begin on August 1. Generally, flights will leave the UK's second-busiest airport at 20:05 and arrive at 04:25+1; overnight flights are unusual for the carrier. Returning, they'll go at 05:20 and return at 10:00—blocked at 6h 40m.

"The route is undoubtedly underpinned by hefty incentives from the Saudi Air Connectivity Program, without which it would not have been considered. "

The market revolves around Umrah and, at times, Hajj traffic. It will be the UK's only Medinah service, with booking data showing that London alone had 136,000 point-to-point passengers last year (363 daily). It will be the first time the market has had regular flights although Saudia offered a short-term service to London Heathrow for pilgrimage reasons until 2019.

Wizz Air will aim to grow traffic through non-stop flights lower fares and hopefully strong promotions. However, "the carrier is advertising return base fares of around £400 which hardly seems attractive. " Still they are slightly lower at peak times versus longer but probably more comfortable one-stop options.

At 2;498 nautical miles (4;626 km); it will be airline's new third-longest route networkwide after two other new and XLR-operated links: Milan Malpensa to Abu Dhabi (which starts on June 2; daily) and Gatwick-Jeddah (which begins on March31; daily).

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easyJet's second UK-Cape Verde route

On February25; easyJet revealed multiple UK routes among them Birmingham to Lanzarote Liverpool Gran Canaria Southend Barcelona Lanzarote Salzburg

But standout was easyJet's second route Cape Verde Manchester Sal three-weekly operation begins October28 flights leaving Northwest England airport returning

It compete directly TUI becoming first time since2019 market two airlines In

Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying

Cape Verde is an increasingly popular winter destination for Northern Europeans due to its favorable weather and beaches. easyJet Holidays' involvement underscores its importance for this route.

Norse Atlantic adds London-Bangkok

Last week long-haul-only carrier Norse Atlantic introduced its first Thai route from UK starting October26 mainly running four weekly flights using Boeing787-9s frequencies varying depending week back Gatwick arriving18: