RIYADH: Italy’s flag carrier ITA Airways operated its first nonstop Rome-Jeddah flight on Aug. 1, linking Rome Fiumicino Airport with King Abdulaziz International Airport, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Friday. The service, launched under the Kingdom’s Air Connectivity Program, or ACP, will run three times a week with an Airbus A321neo aircraft. Carriers operating services between Rome and Jeddah airports include the low-cost carrier Wizz Air and Saudi Arabia’s national carrier Saudia. ITA Airways added Riyadh to its route network in June. Rome Fiumicino Airport has seen a surge in traffic to Saudi Arabia, quadrupling volumes since 2019, and this trend has continued this year with a 33 percent annual increase, the Italian airline said earlier. In a statement, Jeddah Airports chief executive Mazen Johar and ACP chief executive Majid Khan welcomed the opening up of the route. “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.” The ACP aims to enhance air connectivity from unserved and underserved markets around the world to the Kingdom. ITA’s chief commercial officer and Volare chief executive Emiliana Limosani said the new route was “a crucial step in our mission to develop the tourism sector further and increase visitor numbers from Italy, Europe, and beyond to Saudi Arabia.”