Chennai-Riyadh direct flights are set to return after a six-year gap, with Saudi Arabia’s national carrier Saudia planning to restart the service in next year’s summer schedule, according to a report by Dinamalar. The proposed relaunch would restore a direct air link between Tamil Nadu’s capital and Riyadh, which was suspended in 2020.
The Chennai-Riyadh service was stopped during the COVID-19 pandemic and for operational reasons, the report said. Since then, passengers from Tamil Nadu travelling to Saudi Arabia have been using airports in Hyderabad and Bengaluru to reach the country.
The loss of the direct connection increased travel time and pushed up ticket costs for passengers, according to the report. The change has particularly affected travellers who previously relied on Chennai for international departures and those travelling to Riyadh for work, family visits and religious purposes.
At present, direct flights from Chennai to Saudi Arabia are operating only to Jeddah, the report said. There is no direct Chennai-Riyadh connection in the current service pattern described by the report, leaving passengers bound for the Saudi capital dependent on alternative airports or connecting itineraries.
Passengers and Hajj organisations had been seeking the restoration of direct flights between Chennai and Riyadh. Their demand was linked to the additional travel time and higher fares faced by travellers after the service was discontinued.
Saudia, identified in the report as Saudi Arabia’s national airline, has accepted the demand in principle and plans to introduce the Chennai-Riyadh service again in the next summer schedule. The report did not specify the launch date, flight frequency, aircraft type or ticketing details.
The proposed service would expand Chennai’s direct international connectivity with Saudi Arabia beyond Jeddah. For passengers in Tamil Nadu, the operational benefit would depend on the final schedule and availability of seats once the airline publishes its service plan.
The planned return also comes against the backdrop of Chennai’s continuing role as a major international departure point for Tamil Nadu. A direct route to Riyadh would reduce the need for some passengers to travel first to Hyderabad or Bengaluru, although the precise number of beneficiaries and the expected effect on fares were not provided in the report.
Saudia is expected to announce the detailed operating plan as part of its next summer schedule. Until that schedule is formally released, the timing, frequency and booking arrangements for the proposed Chennai-Riyadh flights remain unspecified.
