SolitAir, a Dubai-based newly launched air cargo carrier fulfilling middle-mile logistics demand, has announced the inauguration of its first daily scheduled flights between Dubai and Riyadh.
The service, between Dubai World Central (DWC) and Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport (RUH), started on 4 December 2024 to address the growing demand for rapid and reliable logistics solutions between the two regional hubs, which collectively handle 1.2 million tonnes of air freight annually.
Carrying cargo on both legs of the journey, the service will be available five days a week, Tuesday to Saturday. It is operated by one of two SolitAir’s narrow-body Boeing 737-800 freighters, with a capacity of 23 tonnes. One more Boeing 737-800 freighter will join the fleet in January next year to enable the company’s immediate expansion plans which include routes to India and Bangladesh, key markets across Africa, the Stan countries and other Middle Eastern hubs. Eventually, SolitAir aims to connect over 50 Global South cities within a six-hour flying radius from Dubai.
Based at its dedicated 22,000 square meters state-of-the-art facility at Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai South, SolitAir is equipped to handle a wide range of cargo, including e-commerce, pharmaceuticals, perishables, dangerous goods, vulnerable goods, oversized cargo and high-value shipments.
The hub’s strategic location and advanced infrastructure combined with SolitAir’s dedicated team and the company’s agile middle-mile model ensures delivery within 12 to 24 hours, meeting the speed-to-market needs of freight forwarders, integrator airlines, and SMEs, while seamlessly handling any time-sensitive and complex freight.
Former Senior Vice President of FedEX Express Europe, Middle East, Indian Subcontinent and Africa, Hamdi Osman is SolitAir’s founder and CEO. He said: “With a relentless focus on customer satisfaction and innovation, SolitAir appeals to businesses seeking reliable and efficient logistics solutions to drive their success in today’s global marketplace, especially as the Global South starts playing a leading role in the world economy.”
He added: “Right at the heart of this fast-emerging region accounting for over half of the global GDP, DWC is set to become the world’s largest airport with an annual cargo capacity of 12 million tonnes, 20 times more than it can currently handle.
“This new service between Dubai and Riyadh is the first step in establishing SolitAir as a key player in the region’s logistics ecosystem. By leveraging Dubai’s special place in the Global South ecosystem, latest technologies and operational efficiencies, we are building a network that delivers reliability and value for our partners.”