Qatar Airways starts operation to NEOM in Saudi Arabia
Qatar Airways has expanded its operations in Saudi Arabia with the launch of its ninth gateway, NEOM. The inaugural flight touched down for the first time at NEOM Bay Airport on December 9.
With the launch of two weekly flights to NEOM, Qatar Airways takes the total number of destinations it serves within Saudi Arabia to nine, operating
125 weekly flights.
The other destinations include AlUla, Dammam, Gassim, Jeddah, Madina, NEOM, Riyadh, Taif, and Yanbu.
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Officer Badr Mohammed al-Meer said, “We are excited to introduce NEOM as our ninth gateway in Saudi Arabia. We believe that the launch of this flight underlines our commitment to providing a seamless travel experience for our passengers in the Saudi
market.
“NEOM is the land of the future, where technology, sustainability, and innovation converge to create a unique and dynamic region. We are
delighted to connect travellers from all over the world to this visionary region.”
NEOM Airports Chief Executive Officer Justin Erbacci said, “We are delighted to welcome Qatar Airways to NEOM Bay Airport. Twice weekly flights to
Hamad International Airport, which is one of the most significant air hubs in the wider region, offer people and businesses exciting access to
an extensive onward global network. NEOM Bay’s addition of a fourth airline operator, and third international destination, is a milestone
moment in the early phases of our strategic expansion of NEOM’s connectivity, which is so vital to support our ongoing development.”
What is Neom?
Neom is arguably the world’s largest and most controversial architecture project. Here, we explain the key details of the development in Saudi Arabia, which includes The Line megacity.An initiative of crown prince Mohammed bin Salman – Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler – Neom is a large area of the country that has been earmarked for development.
Although often called a smart city, Neom is more accurately described as a region that will contain numerous cities, resorts and other developments.
The project is being largely bankrolled by the Public Investment Fund, which invests funds on behalf of the government of Saudi Arabia. The Saudi development company established to create Neom, which is led by chief executive officer Nadhmi Al-Nasr, claims the fund is contributing $500 billion to the scheme.
It forms part of the Saudi Vision 2030 plan to diversify the country’s economy in order to reduce its dependence on oil.
Where is Neom?
Neom encompasses an area of around 10,200 square miles (26,500 square kilometres) in northwestern Saudi Arabia. This is around the size of Albania.
The area is bounded by the Red Sea to the south and the Gulf of Aqaba to the west.
What will be in Neom?
According to the developer, Neom will consist of 10 projects that they refer to as regions. So far, details of four of the regions have been announced. These are The Line, which is the most well-known, as well as Oxagon, Trojena and Sindalah.
The Line is planned to be a 170-kilometre linear city that will house nine million people. It will run from east to west across the Neom region. According to the developer, the city will consist of two parallel, 500-metre-high, linear skyscrapers standing 200 metres apart. The buildings will be clad with mirrored facades.
Oxagon is planned as an octagon-shaped port city that will be built on the Red Sea at the far south of the Neom region. According to Neom’s developer, the port and logistics hub will be the “world’s largest floating structure”.
When will Neom be built?
Neom is working to ambitious timelines, with much of the project set to be built by 2030.
Last year, drone footage was revealed showing site preparation for The Line taking place, while Neom recently released a video showing glimpses of progress on the site.
The first element scheduled for completion is the Sindalah luxury island, with the developer of Neom aiming to welcome its first guests in early 2024.