Saudi Arabia’s third privately-owned airline began domestic flights on 28 October from Hail airport in the kingdom’s northern region.

Nesma Airline, a subsidiary of the local Nesma Group, but which operates out of Egypt, received its air operator’s certificate (AOC) from the General Authority of Civil Aviation (Gaca) in August.

It will begin by offering two round trips a day from Hail to Qaisumah and Tabuk, according to the General Authority of Civil Aviation (Gaca).

It is understood flights from Hail to neighbouring provinces will take an average flying time of 30 minutes.

Gaca said other destinations will be gradually added on a weekly basis and will help connect all of the kingdoms regional airports with Hail airport, which is envisaged to be the kingdom’s aviation hub in the northern provinces.

Nesma Airline said earlier this year it plans to operate from Hail to 12 points around the kingdom.

The firm plans to operate with two 68-seater ATR 72-600. The airline currently flies between Saudi Arabia and Egypt with three Airbus A320s and one A319.

The launch of Nesma Airline’s domestic flights and Hail as a new hub was originally scheduled for the second quarter of 2016. Prior to this initiative, it is understood that flights between the northern provinces were infrequent and therefore always full.

According to Hamad Alkhemais, director general of Northern Airports at Gaca, the project aims to facilitate travel of citizens and residents alike throughout the kingdom and to neighbouring countries and reduce reliance on international airports.

The kingdom’s second privately-owned airline, the Qahtani Group-backed SaudiGulf Airlines, received its AOC from Gaca in June but has yet to begin commercial operations.

SaudiGulf is one of two airlines that were granted a license to operate domestic flights in Saudi Arabia in 2012. The other airline, Qatar Airways-backed Al-Maha Airways is still awaiting the release of its AOC from Gaca.

Prior to the launch of Nesma’s flights from Hail to Qaisumah and Tabuk, domestic routes in Saudi Arabia are catered to only by the state-owned Saudi Arabia Airlines (Saudia) and the kingdom’s first privately-owned low-cost carrier Flynas.