Aqaba, Sep. 19 (Petra) –King Hussein International Airport (KHIA) in Aqaba welcomed the first direct, scheduled flight from the UAE capital, Abu Dhabi, on Friday evening.

Operated by Royal Jordanian (RJ) Airlines with two flights per week, this service inaugurates a "new" direct air route between the two cities.

In a statement Saturday, Dr. Thabet Nabulsi, Commissioner for Tourism and Youth at the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA), said arrival of the first flight from Abu Dhabi marks a "significant milestone" in the partnership between the authority and Royal Jordanian.

He noted that launching routes to both Abu Dhabi and Riyadh expands Aqaba’s direct air connectivity with Arab Gulf markets.

He added that the scheduled flights offer "flexible" travel options to visitors, including short weekend trips.

He noted that expanding the air connectivity network allows Aqaba to reach a "broader" range of visitors and enhances its ability to offer a "comprehensive" tourist experience, combining the city's coastal attractions with the "Golden Triangle" of Wadi Rum and Petra, which would support "sustainable" tourism activity year-round.

According to the operational schedule, direct flights are operated between Aqaba and both Abu Dhabi and Riyadh at a frequency of two flights per week for each destination.

The schedule also features the launch of a direct route to the Russian capital, Moscow, on October 25 with two flights weekly and an increase in the frequency of the Cairo–Aqaba route to three flights per week.

The arrival of the Abu Dhabi flight comes just one day after the airport received the first scheduled flight from Riyadh.

This step marks the actual inauguration of the new air connectivity network with Arab Gulf markets, following the authority's promotional campaign, in collaboration with Royal Jordanian, in Abu Dhabi and Riyadh to showcase Aqaba and its tourist treasures and promote the new route.

//Petra// AG