KANOO Travel, the largest travel management company in the Middle East, announced Wednesday that Korean Air is expanding its network to the Middle East with a direct flight service between Korea and Saudi Arabia starting on Nov. 9, 2012. Korean Air will commence the direct service three times a week, flying from Seoul/Incheon first to Riyadh and then onto Jeddah. The Seoul/Incheon-Riyadh-Jeddah flights will operate on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. “Kanoo Travel is pleased to welcome Korean Air back into the Kingdom. Our association with the airline began in 2008, when Kanoo Travel was signed as the GSA for Saudi Arabia. Korean Air's new Seoul/Incheon-Riyadh and Jeddah service, will attract business travelers visiting Saudi Arabia and will develop the market, which has a great potential for growth. The service will also be of interest to transit passengers from neighboring countries to Korea, including Japan and China, who will travel to Saudia Arabia via Korean Air's hub in Seoul, the award winning Incheon International Airport,” said Nabeel Kanoo, Director, Kanoo Travel. Korean Air's flight - KE961 departs at 21:55 and will arrive in Riyadh at 03:10 the next day. The flight continues its journey departing from Riyadh at 04:20, arriving Jeddah at 06:15. On the return flight - KE962 departs from Jeddah at 11:00 and arrives in Riyadh at 12:35. The flight departs from Riyadh at 13:55 and arrives Seoul/Incheon at 05:00 next day. The Seoul/Incheon – Riyadh – Jeddah route will be operated with an Airbus 330-200, seating 218 passengers and equipped with Korean Air's premium seats. First Class has 6 Kosmo suites; the 180-degree full-flat beds have been widened by 15cm (6 inch) to 67.3 cm (26.5 inch) to provide passengers with added comfort. The Business Class, called Prestige Class, has 24 full-flat sleepers with 188cm (74 inches) between seats and extra large seat partitions offering comfort and privacy. Passengers in all classes can enjoy the new AVOD system that offers upgraded in-flight entertainment in high resolution and with top processing speed. Working in partnership with Saudi Arabian Airlines, which is a new member of the airline alliance SkyTeam, of which Korean Air is also a member, will enable Korean Air to expand its network across the Middle East region and also serve as a catalyst to expand exchange between Saudi Arabia and Korea. Kanoo Travel, which is the airline's GSA (General Sales Agent) for Saudi Arabia, will aggressively promote Korea as a preferred destination with attractive packages for both business and leisure travelers. Korean Air is a leading international airline, headquartered in Seoul, flying to 122 destinations in 42 countries. Its advanced management systems and innovative customer services have enabled the airline to achieve remarkable performances. From 2004 to 2009, the airline was also the world's largest commercial air cargo operator for six consecutive years. – SG
