flydubai makes Taif seventh destination in Saudi Arabia

• flydubai has launched services from Dubai (DXB) to Taif (TIF), located not far from Mecca in Saudi Arabia, the airline’s seventh destination in that country following Abha (November 2010), Dammam (July 2011), Gassim (January 2011), Jeddah (May 2011), Riyadh (May 2011) and Yanbu (January 2011). Flights will operate three times weekly (Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays) with the low-cost airline’s single fleet of 189-seat 737-800s. flydubai CEO Ghaith Al Ghaith said: “We are grateful to the Saudi authorities for their continued support of flydubai. Taif marks our seventh destination in KSA and is part of our strategy to connect the UAE to destinations previously under-served by direct air links. By continuing to identify emerging cities such as Taif, we hope to continue promoting new avenues for trade and commercial ties across our network.” Situated 1,700m above sea level in the Hejaz province, Taif is a holiday destination thanks to its temperate climate and scenery. With tree-lined streets, large souks and almost 3,000 gardens, the city is gaining prominence around the region as an alternative short-holiday destination. With the launch of operations to Taif, flydubai will operate a total of 55 weekly flights to destinations across Saudi Arabia.