MALAYSIA AIRLINES FLIES TO RIYADH IN DECEMBER

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 11 (Bernama) -- Malaysia Airlines (MAS) will begin flights to Riyadh, capital of Saudi Arabia, on Dec 17, MAS Managing Director cum Chief Executive Officer Tengku Azmil Zahruddin said Sunday.

He said Riyadh was the airline's third new destination this year after
Dammam, also in Saudi Arabia, and Bandung in Indonesia.

MAS will have three flights a week, departing Kuala Lumpur on Tuesdays,
Fridays and Sundays at 8.05pm and arriving in Riyadh at 11.40pm, he said in a
statement.

Azmil said that in conjunction with the launch of the new destination, MAS
was offering promotional fares to Riyadh, starting from RM1,200 (US$387).

"As a focal point for trade and a burgeoning region for tourism, the Middle
East is a key market for us. Likewise, the Arabs are very attracted to Malaysia
as a vacation or honeymoon destination and a potential trade partner," he said.

Riyadh was experiencing a development boom with new conglomerates and
companies building headquarters in the city, he said.

It was also developing its tourism sector, offering visitors a myriad of
options from safaris featuring camel markets, traditional souqs (markets), home
stays, horse rides and golf, he added.

Azmil said that in the Middle East, MAS also connected to Dubai in the
United Arab Emirates (seven times weekly), Beirut in Lebanon and Istanbul in
Turkey (thrice weekly) and Dammam in Saudi Arabia (twice weekly).

"MAS is also the official airline for Haj and Umrah pilgrims," he added.

-- BERNAMA