General Authority of Civil Aviation authorized airline to perform scheduled passenger flights between Dhaka and Jeddah Decision is part of efforts to enhance air connectivity and link the Kingdom with the world RIYADH: Saudi Arabia is expanding its global air connectivity by allowing US-Bangla Airlines to operate seven weekly flights between the Kingdom and Bangladesh starting August 1. The General Authority of Civil Aviation, through its air transport and international cooperation sector, has authorized the airline to perform scheduled passenger flights between the Asian country’s capital city Dhaka, and the Saudi coast city Jeddah. The initiative is in line with GACA’s ongoing efforts to enhance air connectivity and link the Kingdom with the world, aligning with the Saudi Vision 2030 objectives of establishing the nation as a global logistics hub and opening new travel horizons. It also harmonizes with the Kingdom’s National Aviation Strategy, which aims to boost tourism by enhancing the country’s appeal as a destination through improved air access and services. In a similar move, GACA announced on July 29 that it had authorized Air Samarkand to begin two weekly passenger flights from Samarkand to Jeddah during the summer season of 2024. These two recent approvals follow the Kingdom’s decision in April to grant China Southern Airlines approval to operate flights from Beijing, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen to the Saudi capital. As per the announcement at that time, the travel schedule announced included four-passenger or commercial flights, as well as three air cargo trips a week. These approvals are issued under the Saudi Air Connectivity Program, which was established in 2021 to streamline market entry and promote expansion opportunities for air travel partners in the Kingdom. Through the development of new routes, the ACP aims to position Saudi Arabia as a global leader in tourism air connectivity. Speaking to Arab News at the last Future Aviation Forum, held in May in Riyadh, Ali Rajab, executive vice president of air transport and international cooperation at GACA, highlighted the Kingdom’s ambitious plans for air connectivity, aiming to increase the number of destinations served by the country’s airports. “We will have by 2030, 250 destinations that would reach to Saudi Arabia. In 2019, we were only 99, And today we have reached 149 destinations,” Rajab said. He also expressed confidence that by 2030, the Kingdom will emerge as the leading country within its region in terms of aviation and will rank fifth globally in the industry.