First flight operated from Saudi Arabia's new Jeddah airport

The new Jeddah International Airport opened on Tuesday to operate a select number of flights as part of what authorities have called a soft-opening phase.

According to report published in Saudi Gazette, Saudi Arabian Airlines Vice President Corporate Communications Eng. Abdulrahman Altayeb said the gradual transition of the Saudia fleet to the new Jeddah international airport means that capacity will significantly increase, and the overall guest experience will be transformed with the state-of-the-art systems that are now in place.

According to the Saudi English daily, the existing airport in Jeddah and the new terminal will continue to operate concurrently till the phased transition takes place.