Yes - not bad going for a route that hasn't even been announced yet... :ok:

I'm sure Turkish will consider all of these points before they make a final decision. I did read that NCL was on their priority list of points to be served.

it’s been there for months now

I would be staggered if this turned out to be true but The Northern Echo are suggesting that Saudair could be launching from Newcastle...

https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/ne...rport-flights/

Shirt sponsorship more likely. The Echo should stick to cutting and pasting press releases.

Presumably United was a minor long-haul route?

Think they diverted to Teesside on way in…good start!

FLY SAUDIA all around electronic boards at various points of the Newcastle Chelsea game this evening so just a sponsorship promotion.
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....9dafb3d009.jpg

Saudi
 

makes you think are we about to get some flights.
not many people will travel to Manchester or London just to fly Saudi when we have daily Emirates flights.

think we could see 3x weekly flights maybe ?
A321’s

I'd be amazed (and a bit embarrassed as a Geordie to see the way Tyneside is sucking up to the Saudis, but that's for Jet Blast). The match was on national and international TV - the Saudia ads aren't there for the folks in the Leazes End.

The idea that Saudia would decide to offer scheduled service to NCL ahead of EDI or GLA is almost laughable, but it would be a real coup were it to come to pass.

Not when NUFC will essentially the biggest supported football club in Saudi Arabia if the demand from Saudi to visit Newcastle is there then it will be well before GLA and EDI.

I personally think this is just a partnership of the club and wont result in any scheduled services but like i say the bigger and more successful the club becomes there will be demand from Saudi Arabia's end.

It would take more than a few well healed footie fans to make a viable scheduled service, especially when on a small scale map Newcastle looks to be just up the road from Manchester.

Well Liverpool are a major Garuda link - I've even flown on a Red's badged Airbus from Bali to Jakarta - but they don't turn up at John Lennon.

It's making the Football Club a world name and associating THAT with Saudia - nothing to do with Woolsington.

First Sunday flight cancelled....

And just to round off the Saudi footie fans meanderings, Turkish Airlines flies to seven destinations in Saudi Arabia...

Maybe any Saudi demand for travel to NCL could be met via Turkish Airlines (Istanbul) should that service be launched.
Previous poster just beat me to it.!!!

Don't be so sue , I spotted it from the Leazes end.

A Friday and Sunday flight would work quite well I think

No it wouldn't.

How a story in a local paper with photo aside the by-line suggesting the "journalist" is very young and inexperienced and has simply put "two and two together" and made a number somewhat different from four. The story will have got "The Chronicle" a few extra clicks, but has also managed to gain traction through this supposedly better informed thread.

As #GrahamK suggests there is no reason to assume that a Fri/Sun twice weekly service from JED, RUH or anywhere else in the Kingdom is going to be viable, there simply won't be enough Saudi season ticket holders for NUFC fans with the money or inclination to travel, and without wishing to stereotype Newcastle as a city, there aren't going to be that many Saudi young men and women likely to visiting the city on a weekend break for a bender!!

This story needs putting to bed!

Nothing is impossible when an airline is state owned.

First of all, lets not forget that Saudi also offer onward connections, so it's not just the NCL-Saudi market at stake here. A nice cheaper alternative to Emirates. Saudi Arabia are making a big push at the moment to open up to tourism, and expanding the airline for connections is a part of that. Secondly, lets not underestimate the wealth of the average Saudi Arabian. There are more than enough wealthy Saudis to fill a Fri/Sun rotation to come and watch Newcastle play - especially on an A319/A320 if the latter has the range to do so.

Although it might just be a new promo as part of the Manchester route to advertise how close it is to Newcastle and boost sales on that route.

Like everything else, we'll just need to wait and see.

how many Saudi’s are living in the north east.

the airline does have A321XR’s on order.

I must admit I don’t think it will happen but never say never.

15 years ago we said the same about EK and look where they are now!

"nd without wishing to stereotype Newcastle as a city, there aren't going to be that many Saudi young men and women likely to visiting the city on a weekend break for a bender!!"

whilst many Saudis are very religious an awful lot of them like hitting the flesh pots - all those bars and casinos in London, Paris, S Spain etc

They aren't well liked in the Mid East as they are seen as hypocrites who lecture every one else then disappear to Cairo, Beirut or wherever for a good time away from home, Most Saudi young men would think they'd died and gone to heaven in the Bigg Market at the weekend

Jet Blast awaits...

TUI....SUMMER 23.
Latest changes noted to the timetable:
FARO cancelled
GIRONA cancelled
ANTALYA increased from 3 to 4 weekly
BOURGAS falls from 3 to 2 weekly
LARNACA falls from 3 to 2 weekly

Larnaca was only 2x weekly this year

The real question to ask is how many Saudi investments there are in the North East. Quite a bit.

Saudi investments? Apart from the football team, I’m struggling to find any?

The thing is..no one knows.

Dubai is the prime place for connectivity.Doha trying to compete..and Saudi Arabia a late new comer.
Money is no object to any of these guys…so watch this space!

Oh..and don’t forget Turkyie !



Me thinks it’s all just a promotional, sponsorship thing..which of course..in itself is a pretty big deal!

SABiC have quite a few plants in the North East…

I'm sure you did, but they aren't paying the amount of money they're paying just to reach the people in the stadium. There'll have been at least as many Chelsea fans watching as there were Saudi United fans.

Pretty sure I've seen it demonstrated previously that PL matches have different adverts shown on the pitchside boards, depending on where the game is being watched worldwide. So the NCL-CHE game might have Saudia showing on the boards in the stadium and in some territories, but other global audiences might see another logo projected onto the boards instead, depending on what the sponsors request and agree on.

some big changes there.
hopefully might see some increases yet or something new

see Ryanair are still to put Faro and Girona on sale for summer 2023

maybe they are increasing flights and tui decided not to go head to head.

Other Ryanair flights still not showing on the Summer 23 schedule are....Chania, Cork, Paphos and Zadar

Ive a brother in Girona and used TUI a lot and the flight was barely three quarters full. Think them and jet2 was too much for a low demand resort area

EASTERN AIRWAYS

ABERDEEN Summer 23 timetable shows an increase in flights...2 daily Mon - Thurs, 1 Fri and Sun.....no flights on Saturday

LOGANAIR

SUMMER 23 timetable shows

SOUTHAMPTON....13 WKLY
STAVANGER...........6 WKLY
EXETER..................5 WKLY
BERGEN................2 WKLY
NEWQUAY..............2 WKLY

How will Geordies get on with a dry airline???

And a dry country!

Things are slowly but gradually changing in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia is planning to break with it's total ban on alcohol by offering alcoholic drinks at a new resort to open in 2023. The resort will serve wine, cocktails and champagne but no beer.

​​​​​​It would mark the first time that alcohol is permitted for sale in the Islamic kingdom.

The resort is located on the island of Sindalah and is part of the Red Sea megacity Neom.

This mega project is a bid by Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman to diversify the Gulf state's oil-dependent economy.

Search online for Neom and you will also see that a huge airport has recently been built on the island of Sindalah to serve the resort.

But in typing that, it in no way implies that there will be a connection from NCL to Saudi Arabia which I think that most agree is a complete pipe dream. Plus with no beer available for sale at the resort it will obviously have no interest to your average Geordie.

​​​​​​

​​​​​

Time to get a grip - this is a sponsorship arrangement where Saudia are flying NUFC on a mid season training trip.