Saudia has relaunched operations in Kozhikode.

According to the airline, services were suspended in May 2015 because of runway restrictions for widebody aircraft during improvement works at Calicut International Airport.

The airline now flies non-stop to the Keralan city four times a week from Jeddah and three times weekly from Riyadh with an Airbus A330-300, allowing Saudia Cargo to offering a bellyhold capacity of 60 tonnes every week.

Omar Hariri, CEO of Saudia Cargo, said that the inauguration of the route will support and bolster the carrier’s presence in one of the most important markets in Asia, and will strengthen trade ties in line with the objectives of the Saudi Vision 2030 as well as Saudia Cargo’s Strategy 2020.

Hariri added that Saudia Cargo is doing its best to support the export of agricultural products and general cargo in the Kerala region and is exploring ways to increase exports from the neighboring cities.

Kozhikode is Saudia’s ninth destination in India, adding to Bangalore, Chennai, Cochin, Delhi, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Mumbai and Trivandrum. The airline operates a total of 65 flights per week between Saudi Arabia and India.

Saudia Cargo operates a fleet of freighter aircraft including Boeing 747-400Fs, 747-8Fs and 777Fs. The carrier offers scheduled and charter services across its network, covering the Indian subcontinent, Europe, Africa, the Far East and North America.