Wizz Air is set to revolutionise budget travel from the UK by launching the nation’s first low-cost flights to Saudi Arabia. From March 31 next year, the airline will commence operations between Gatwick Airport in West Sussex and Jeddah, utilising the state-of-the-art Airbus A321XLR aircraft. Wizz Air is taking on 47 of these advanced planes, with Gatwick being the base for the inaugural one. The Airbus A321XLR stands out for its massive fuel tanks, enabling it to fly non-stop for up to an impressive 11 hours, while also being more environmentally friendly, cutting fuel use by almost 30% per passenger compared to previous models, according to Airbus.

At a press briefing, Wizz Air’s CEO Jozsef Varadi said: “The Airbus A321XLR is the most cost-efficient aircraft in its class. The [A321XLR is the] same aircraft essentially as the A321neo with 239 seats. “The only difference is there is an extra fuel tank, which in simple terms means the aircraft is expected to be able to fly up to eight hours. The current aircraft can only fly up to six hours. It is first XLR in the United Kingdom and the first to be delivered to a company. We are expecting this aircraft to be delivered by Airbus in February.”

One potential drawback for travellers eager to visit the Middle Eastern kingdom is that despite being a medium haul flight, the aircraft do not feature reclining seats, making it potentially challenging to get some sleep. The routes will commence from £134.99 and the inaugural flight is scheduled for 31 March, 2025, with daily flights thereafter, reports the Mirror.