Turkish, Saudi flag carriers sign cooperation deal

By Tuba Ongun

ANKARA (AA) – Türkiye's national flag carrier Turkish Airlines and Riyadh Air, the second flag carrier of Saudi Arabia, signed a cooperation deal to expand destinations and enhance partnership.

“The agreement heralds a new era of enhanced travel experiences for guests flying between Türkiye and Saudi Arabia and further beyond while laying the ground for deeper future collaborations,” Turkish Airlines said in a statement on Monday.

The new memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed during the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Air Services Negotiation Event (ICAN2023) being held in Riyadh on Dec. 3-7.

The deal will be effective after Riyadh Air starts its operations in mid-2025.

Guests of both airlines will enjoy the convenience of a comprehensive interline and codeshare agreement, allowing for smooth connections across the networks of both Turkish Airlines and Riyadh Air, read the statement.

The deal will pave the way for the two airlines to explore joint initiatives across various sectors, including cargo, digital development, and other aviation-related services.

Levent Konukcu, Turkish Airlines chief investment and technology officer, said: "This Memorandum of Understanding is more than a collaboration; it’s a bridge between Türkiye and Saudi Arabia, further strengthening our ties."

The deal will contribute significantly to the tourism and business sectors of both countries, Konukcu said.

Tony Douglas, CEO of Riyadh Air, said: “Our close relationship will open up seamless connectivity via the global-leading hub at Istanbul Airport to some 130 destinations worldwide, especially within Türkiye, Europe, and the Americas, and accelerate our network footprint through the market-leading, guest-centric, digitally focused and like-minded global airline brand that is Turkish Airlines."