British Airways is set to launch its third route to Saudi Arabia in December. The British Airways Dammam route will use a Boeing 777 flying via Bahrain (BAH). The route will allow the airline to replace the limo service it currently operates between Bahrain and Dammam.
In its 100th year, British Airways is set to receive four brand new Airbus A350 aircraft during 2019. Yesterday, we learned that these would be delivered with a brand new Club World suite. This will allow business passengers the ultimate experience of comfort and privacy on long-haul journeys.
Limo service replacement
British Airways already allows passengers to travel to Dammam. A search for flights to the Saudi city shows details of the transfer. Currently, passengers will be transported via:
- Flight BA125, departing Heathrow at 1300UTC, before landing at 2225 local time in Bahrain
- A wait of an hour and 30 minutes at Bahrain Airport
- A limousine from Bahrain, leaving at 2315, arriving in Dammam at 0045 the next day. The limo service is assigned the flight number BA8499.
Currently, passengers in Club World and First receive an individual limousine, while World Traveller and World Traveller Plus passengers must share a limo.
New 777 Service
The service will be one of the shortest flights operated by a Boeing 777 in the world. The flight will, however, reduce the time and hassle it takes passengers to get to Dammam substantially. The Boeing 777-200 will operate on the following timetable:
- BA125 will depart Heathrow earlier at 1130, arriving in Bahrain at 2055.
- BA125 will then depart Bahrain an hour later at 2155, arriving in Dammam at 2245.
- BA126 will depart Dammam at 0030, arriving in Bahrain at 01:10.
- Finally, BA126 will depart Bahrain at 0220, arriving back at Heathrow at 06:40.
British Airways confirmed to Simple Flying that the flight will not be operated as a fifth freedom flight. As such, passengers will have the choice of travelling between London and Bahrain and London and Dammam, but not exclusively Bahrain and Dammam.
Will the route use the new Club World suite?
There is every chance that the new Club World suite will be on the route when it launches from December 1st. In 2019 British Airways will install the new seat on six aircraft. This will include four A350 aircraft and two Boeing 777s. British Airways confirmed to us that the 777s will be from the -200 family, which the airline is operating on the Dammam route.
The two 777-200 aircraft due to receive the new Club World seat will be rotated around the fleet. As such, they will not be assigned to a particular route and could potentially be used for these flights.
Will you find the link to Dammam handy? Would you use it? Let us know in the comments down below!