Saudia repatriation flights

WishUWereHere

Hi

This might be the wrong place for my post - apologies if so, and Mods please move accordingly.

I haven't been on the Dublin Airport website of late due to CV19.

Was just checking it thoug, and see a flight is leaving DUB at 15h15 for Riyadh. Its flight # SV3082

Since when have flights gone there, and is it regular? Also what kindof plane is being used?

Sorry for so many questions.

smurfjed

its a B777-300 HZ-AK32 operating a repatriation flight with Irish nationals inbound and Saudi nationals outbound, it’s the second one that they have done in the last few weeks.

Btw, these flights are flown by the same cockpit/cabin crew both ways, so pretty long days for all concerned.

Inquitus

WishUWereHere wrote: »

Hi

This might be the wrong place for my post - apologies if so, and Mods please move accordingly.

I haven't been on the Dublin Airport website of late due to CV19.

Was just checking it thoug, and see a flight is leaving DUB at 15h15 for Riyadh. Its flight # SV3082

Since when have flights gone there, and is it regular? Also what kindof plane is being used?

Sorry for so many questions.

It's Saudia Airways and it's a Boeing 777-3FG(ER) tail HZ-AK32, I don't believe it is a scheduled service, I think it is a specific repatriation flight for Saudis.

https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/hz-ak32

smurfjed

Saudia Airways

Who?

Inquitus

smurfjed wrote: »

Who?

https://www.saudia.com/

LXFlyer

Inquitus wrote: »

https://www.saudia.com/

I think that poster is making the point that the airline’s name is not “Saudia Airways” but rather quite simply “Saudia”.

It has also been known as “Saudi Arabian Airlines”.

WishUWereHere

smurfjed wrote: »

I think that you will find that this is the incorrect place for the posting, however its a B777-300 HZ-AK32 operating a repatriation flight with Irish nationals inbound and Saudi nationals outbound, it’s the second one that they have done in the last few weeks.

If you are interested in deleting it and posting in the right place, it most likely would go here

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057757068&page=177

Btw, these flights are flown by the same cockpit/cabin crew both ways, so pretty long days for all concerned.

I think as my post has caused a few following on replies, I think I might be better leaving it alone? I do apologise for uploading it in the wrong thread, and at the same time for everyone replying.

Sorry if I have caused confusion with this being in the wrong thread.

Irish Steve

Moved out of the Aer Lingus thread, not a hassle as such, just easier to move it as it's gone beyond a couple of posts

WishUWereHere

Thanks Irish Steve, and again apologies for uploading this in the wrong thread.

Going forward, and I know it's a dangerous game trying to forecast or speculate on movements, but I wonder is there a market ( maybe 1-2 a week) for this route?

Certainly give Muslims living here options for making their pilgrimige during their Hadj. I know thats only 1 month per year, but it's a start - no?

EchoIndia

On departure this afternoon.

Don't know about food but bet your bottom dollar there's no little nips of whiskey/vodka/gin/wine and the like

vicwatson

Are there that many Saudis living in Ireland?

Board Walker

vicwatson wrote: »

Are there that many Saudis living in Ireland?

Not sure, but there is a lot of irish in Saudi!

smurfjed

vicwatson wrote: »

Are there that many Saudis living in Ireland?

Yes, there are a lot of them on scholarships in various universities or placements in hospitals, as the universities are closed, they needed to go back to Saudi, the flights are primarily for that purpose, the repatriation of Irish nationals from Saudi was an added bonus.

Tenger

WishUWereHere wrote: »

...............
Going forward, and I know it's a dangerous game trying to forecast or speculate on movements, but I wonder is there a market ( maybe 1-2 a week) for this route?

Certainly give Muslims living here options for making their pilgrimige during their Hadj. I know thats only 1 month per year, but it's a start - no?

Doubtful. Lots of connections (several per day) to Saudi Arabia from Heathrow, which is only a 1 hour flight away. Direct flights usually charge a premium over connections. So a direct flight would be competing with LHR, AMS, CDG etc.

1123heavy

WishUWereHere wrote: »

Thanks Irish Steve, and again apologies for uploading this in the wrong thread.

Going forward, and I know it's a dangerous game trying to forecast or speculate on movements, but I wonder is there a market ( maybe 1-2 a week) for this route?

Certainly give Muslims living here options for making their pilgrimige during their Hadj. I know thats only 1 month per year, but it's a start - no?

There is the hajj which is once a year but there is umrah throughout the year, a lesser but still significant pilgrimage. There'd certainly be some demand to travel there between the pilgrims and Irish going to work as well as Saudis coming to study and work here.

As mentioned I think price would be the challenge, Turkish Airlines have a significant presence on the pilgrimage routes and they are hard to beat on price. Having said that though, it certainly wouldn't have been a major shock had Saudia decided to fly regularly, perhaps not now though due COVID.

smurfjed

It will be interesting to see if Saudia could create market share to Africa and Asia once the new Jeddah airport is opened completely, they are a member of Skyteam so anyone buying tickets from Amsterdam or Paris to various parts of Asia on AF/KL are actually flying on Saudia. They are also pursuing a program called TOP5 which is a service product, you will find that their service on flights to Europe is actually extremely good but they are let down by the present Jeddah airport.

Then there is the question of aircraft type, the A320 doesn’t have the range even with the installed Additional Center Tanks, and the 787’s are way too big, unless they added Dublin to their Manchester service.

Noxegon

smurfjed wrote: »

It will be interesting to see if Saudia could create market share to Africa and Asia once the new Jeddah airport is opened completely, they are a member of Skyteam so anyone buying tickets from Amsterdam or Paris to various parts of Asia on AF/KL are actually flying on Saudia.

They don’t serve alcohol or allow it to be carried on board, meaning no duty free. That may be an attraction for some, but on the whole I’d expect it to be a limiting factor.

smurfjed

Judging by their loads from Paris to Asia, i don’t think that people are that concerned about the lack of liquor.

Pat Dunne

Noxegon wrote: »

They don’t serve alcohol or allow it to be carried on board, meaning no duty free. That may be an attraction for some, but on the whole I’d expect it to be a limiting factor.

Simply don’t get this obsession with purchasing Alcohol at Airports and on board flights.

smurfjed

Another Saudia repatriation flight on Wed 20th.

EchoIndia

There is one en route to Dublin at the moment also. HZ-AK24 is the aircraft.