Airline granted slots for Saudi Arabia - Maribor service

Authorities in Saudi Arabia have granted slots to an undisclosed airline for the introduction of flights between Jeddah and Maribor next summer season. Based on the initial coordination report for Jeddah Airport for the 2025 summer season, an airline has been granted ninety movements, or 45 return flights from the Saudi port city to Maribor, with a total capacity of 15.660 seats, or 174 seats per flight. Jeddah is home to flag carrier Saudia, as well as low cost airlines flyadeal and Flynas. Although the carrier in question has not been identified, Flynas’ Airbus A320neo aircraft seat exactly 174 passengers.

Since these slots were granted based on initial applications, it is possible that the airline in question may decide to use those departure and arrival times for another destination instead, meaning there is no guarantee the flights will go ahead at this point. If the service does proceed as planned, it would mark the first scheduled operations between Saudi Arabia and Slovenia. In addition, Slovenia would become only the third market in the former Yugoslavia with scheduled flights to the Kingdom, following Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro. Based on the slot coordination reports, Flynas has been granted a total of 35.406 movements at Jeddah Airport next summer with another 292 yet to be allocated, flyadeal has been granted 21.209 movements with 240 yet to be allocated and Saudia has been approved 75.324 movements, with a further 480 unallocated.

The development would mark a major coup for Maribor Airport, if it comes to fruition. The airport has struggled to attract any scheduled commercial flights in years. Furthermore, the airport’s passenger terminal sustained significant damage from a summer storm in June. The airport's roof, which was heavily impacted, has since been fixed. However, a more comprehensive restoration of the airport is anticipated to extend until the summer. Maribor Airport currently manages a low volume of passengers. During the first three quarters of the year, it handled 1.919 travellers, primarily through sport charters. Other activities, including sports and recreational flights, pilot training, and helicopter emergency services continue to operate at the airport.