CAIRO: In an effort to boost investment in Saudi Arabia's domestic airline sector, Qatar Airways announced on Tuesday that it was looking at a possible move into the Gulf Kingdom. According to a Reuters news agency report, Chief Executive Akbar al-Baker has already held discussions with Prince Fahad bin Abdullah al-Saud concerning the possible opportunities that have come to light with the country's new aviation policy. Saudi Arabia had said earlier this year it would approve new airline licenses in September, “ending years of speculation about whether the country would allow foreign airlines to fly domestic routes,” Reuters reported. Baker was reported as saying Saudi represented a “key growth market for Qatar Airways with an underserved market and need for greater domestic air services.” Saudi has long barred international carriers from flying domestically in the country, but the new regulations could make this a thing of the past and Qatar Airways is hopeful that it will give them access to new routes inside the ultra-conservative country. Baker said the airline “was keen to invest in the Saudi domestic aviation market, and this was dependent on a rethink by the government of certain factors,” the news report said. It also comes as Saudi Airlines has struggled to meet the demand of travelers, and the government appears ready to allow more carriers into the country to meet demand.
