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-   -   Saudia Airlines (https://britishexpats.com/forum/middle-east-60/saudia-airlines-904875/)

ExpatAl Oct 22nd 2017 5:19 am

Saudia Airlines
 
Hi guys,

Has anyone flown with Saudia Airlines before? I've just booked my flights to go back to the UK for Christmas and the flight prices are ridiculous...

The Saudia flight comes in around 1800dhs which is less than half of direct flights (does mean I have to make a stopover in KSA to bring the total journey time to around 10 hours)

I gauge it's a dry cabin (not too fussed) but what's been the experience for any of you?

Also regarding visas, there wouldn't be a problem going through KSA on a connecting flight?

Cheers,
Al

scrubbedexpat141 Oct 22nd 2017 5:50 am

Re: Saudia Airlines
 
Ask Jam25 - he normally connects through Amsterdam I believe and always gets a good price.

There must be better options than going via KSA.:blink:

ExpatAl Oct 22nd 2017 6:37 am

Re: Saudia Airlines
 

Originally Posted by Scamp (Post 12366039)

There must be better options than going via KSA.:blink:

Can't be that bad surely lol

jam25mack Oct 22nd 2017 7:05 am

Re: Saudia Airlines
 

Originally Posted by Scamp (Post 12366039)
Ask Jam25 - he normally connects through Amsterdam I believe and always gets a good price.

There must be better options than going via KSA.:blink:

I do indeed. I regulary fly through Amsterdam on KLM, sometimes having an extended stopover and sometimes not. KLM are generally in the 2,400 - 2,700 kind of range.

If for some reason they are higher then I bite the bullet and fly BA.

I did hear that Emirates are reasonable at the moment.

All that said, if you are looking at Christmas then they are always going to higher rates.

I take it you are checking a few of the multi carrier search engines, Expedia, Kayay etc.

Miss Ann Thrope Oct 22nd 2017 7:34 am

Re: Saudia Airlines
 
I've flown Saudia a few times on intra-Saudi flights and they were fine. Generally their terminals are much better than the non-Saudia terminals at the big Saudi airports. They are a member of Skyteam so will have had to meet whatever minimum standard requirements attach to that - albeit bearing in mind that may be what is acceptable in the US....

If the price is that good I would have no qualms - just double/triple/quadruple check that you can do all your connections in Saudi (Jeddah or Riyadh?) without having to pass immigration. I'm sure some of the Saudi-based posters can further enlighten you on their international service.

scot47 Oct 22nd 2017 7:39 am

Re: Saudia Airlines
 
I am prejudiced since I was an employee of Saudia 1996-2002. I thought flights were ok.

Once on board it is usually fine although boarding can be a bit chaotic. No booze on board so there are no ghastly, unruly drunks. No chance of meeting certain posters from here on board !

They are very competitive price-wise. Flying vas Jeddah there is an opportunity to overnight in the Airport Hotel without the need to clear immigration controls.

ExpatAl Oct 22nd 2017 8:01 am

Re: Saudia Airlines
 
It's via Riyadh on the way to UK (3 hours stopover) and Jeddah on way back (2 hour stopover)

Assuming this will be all ok?

Millhouse Oct 22nd 2017 8:59 am

Re: Saudia Airlines
 

Originally Posted by ExpatAl (Post 12366087)
It's via Riyadh on the way to UK (3 hours stopover) and Jeddah on way back (2 hour stopover)

Assuming this will be all ok?

Well, it's not going to kill you.

Both airports (for Saudia) are OK - you can get a half decent coffee in both. Jed immigration is a disaster (Riyadh is fine) but hopefully you will be able to skip all of that.

The in flight movies are cut to shreds.

scrubbedexpat141 Oct 22nd 2017 9:44 am

Re: Saudia Airlines
 

Originally Posted by ExpatAl (Post 12366049)
Can't be that bad surely lol

Depends. If you don't care, then go for it? But by asking I assume you do care a little bit, so surely for the sake of a few hundred dirhams, to arrive in the UK slightly more relaxed, not having to have sat next to someone like Scot47 etc it's worth it?

NorthernLad Oct 22nd 2017 10:15 am

Re: Saudia Airlines
 

Originally Posted by Scamp (Post 12366122)
...not having to have sat next to someone like Scot47 etc it's worth it?

:rofl:

We have flown KLM for past 18 months, a lot cheaper than EK and better service.

For me, the start of the holiday is arriving at the airport and I like a couple of drinks on the flight.

scrubbedexpat141 Oct 22nd 2017 10:29 am

Re: Saudia Airlines
 

Originally Posted by NorthernLad (Post 12366139)
:rofl:

We have flown KLM for past 18 months, a lot cheaper than EK and better service.

For me, the start of the holiday is arriving at the airport and I like a couple of drinks on the flight.

Never tried KLM, but hear alright things. Bonus for me would be they fly from Amsterdam to Southampton (I believe) which would be mighty convenient but probably still slower than just going direct.

Whilst I only pay for my own flights, I am comfortable with the EK prices (bearing in mind my start point is LHR not DXB)....but if I had a family, I'd be thinking long and hard about how much they cost...

NorthernLad Oct 22nd 2017 10:33 am

Re: Saudia Airlines
 

Originally Posted by Scamp (Post 12366146)

Whilst I only pay for my own flights, I am comfortable with the EK prices (bearing in mind my start point is LHR not DXB)....but if I had a family, I'd be thinking long and hard about how much they cost...

For Christmas, we are saving around 5000dh using KLM to Newcastle instead of Emirates. There is a 90 minute stopover in Amsterdam which isn't bad for the sake of £1,000

scrubbedexpat141 Oct 22nd 2017 10:42 am

Re: Saudia Airlines
 

Originally Posted by NorthernLad (Post 12366149)
For Christmas, we are saving around 5000dh using KLM to Newcastle instead of Emirates. There is a 90 minute stopover in Amsterdam which isn't bad for the sake of £1,000

Yeah, exactly.

That covers the car hire, petrol, insurance and bits for Xmas and New Year

ExpatAl Oct 22nd 2017 12:32 pm

Re: Saudia Airlines
 
Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of Emirates but for 4,000 aed or so, I can't justify it.

As I said to the missus (who's flying Emirates for Christmas back to Scotland), if somebody offered me a few hundred quid to fly a more inconvenient route on a less reputable airline, I would take it!

Miss Ann Thrope Oct 22nd 2017 12:50 pm

Re: Saudia Airlines
 

Originally Posted by ExpatAl (Post 12366229)
Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of Emirates but for 4,000 aed or so, I can't justify it.

As I said to the missus (who's flying Emirates for Christmas back to Scotland), if somebody offered me a few hundred quid to fly a more inconvenient route on a less reputable airline, I would take it!

I think you'll be fine. You can probably call a Saudia office here to verify that there will be no immigration issue but I'm pretty sure they couldn't offer this if there were any issue. The only thing to consider is what if your onward connection gets cancelled and you are marooned in a Saudi airport for a day or so? I'm not sure that it would be any worse than Schipol (except no bar) in fairness.


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