Extra frequency to RUH
 

Looking at the booking engine, CX seems to be adding an extra Saturday frequency to RUH (via BAH) from late May for the rest of the season's schedule.

Just a bit of news that I thought I'd share.

I'd love to see CX delink RUH as it's seemed to have matured now and fly HKG-RUH plus HKG-BAH-JED instead to capture some of the expat worker traffic. But knowing the KSA's conservative bilateral agreements, I'm happy to even see 1 extra frequency being laid.

Riyadh gets the new frequency at the expense of termination of Saturday DXB - BAH vv service.

So there will be Day 6 HKG - BAH - RUH - HKG instead of HKG - DXB - BAH vv

I don't understanding CX's scheduling for the short-hops in the Middle East...was talking with a senior FA the other day DXB-HKG, she does the trips to DXB almost exclusively. Usually does HKG-DXB, has a day off in Dubai, then crews DXB-BAH and BAH-DXB return, have another day off in Dubai, and then fly back DXB-HKG. She said the short-haul to BAH and back is almost always empty except for a very narrow window when students are shuttling to/from school. Apparently the flight she did a few days ago had 20 or so pax on it. What exactly are the reasons for CX continuing the flight, and will it be one of the cuts in the next few months?

Maybe there is good cargo business for the hop across.