Saudia flying taxis to benefit Hajj pilgrims

Flying Taxi

Hajj and Umrah pilgrims from Jeddah to Makkah will stand to benefit from national flag carrier Saudia’s plans to introduce flying taxis to assist the travelers with transportation.

The airline will have approximately 100 Lilium electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) jets to facilitate the transportation between Jeddah’s King Abdulaziz International Airport (JED) and hotels in Makkah, the Saudi Press Agency reported earlier.

Each jet carries four to six passengers and travels a maximum of 250km.

The Lilium jets are a more sustainable option for travel as it boasts a commendable low carbon emission rate, noted Abdullah Al Shahrani, Saudia Group spokesman; making Saudia the first airlines in the region to invest in sustainable air mobility.

The Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation president, Abdulaziz Al Duailej, said the test flight was “a milestone in the Saudi aviation sector” as the aviation industry uses emerging technology to contribute to the Kingdom’s GDP and create more jobs in the country.

Although the initial plans is to pilgrim transport, Saudia has plans to use flying aircrafts to and from other destinations in the Kingdom.