US-Bangla Airlines has started direct flights to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, the gateway to the holy city of the Muslim Ummah.

Minister of Civil Aviation and Tourism Mr. Muhammad Faruk Khan on Thursday officially announced the inauguration of Dhaka-Jeddah flight at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in Dhaka, om Dhaka to Jeddah with 436-seat Airbus 330-300 every day of the week.

The flights will depart from Dhaka daily at 5:15 pm for Jeddah and land in Jeddah at 9:10 pm local time. It will again leave from Jeddah at 11:10 pm and land at Dhaka's Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 8:55 am.

However, today's flight departed at 5:35pm with full passengers.

The minimum fare from Dhaka to Jeddah including tax and surcharge is Tk 53,189 one way and Tk 90,718 return fare. Besides, the minimum one-way fare from Jeddah to Dhaka is 793 Saudi Riyals and the return fare is 1,486 Saudi Riyals. Passengers from Dhaka will be able to carry free baggage up to 30 kg to Jeddah and 50 kg from Jeddah to Dhaka.

US-Bangla Airlines has started direct flights from Dhaka to the holiest city of Jeddah to fulfill the latent desire of devout Muslims of Bangladesh to perform Umrah Hajj after a long wait, reads the release.

Besides, US-Bangla Airlines will ensure that remittance fighters can travel from Saudi Arabia to any destination within Bangladesh in the shortest possible time.

Currently, US-Bangla Airlines fleet has a total of 24 aircraft including two Airbus 330-300, nine Boeing 737-800. Currently US-Bangla Airlines operates flights to Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, Muscat, Doha, Male, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Bangkok, Guangzhou, Chennai and Kolkata routes in addition to all domestic routes.

Air Commodore Sadikur Rahman Chowdhury, Chairman Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh, Managing Director of US-Bangla Airlines Mr. Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun and various government officials were present at the opening ceremony.

Senior officials of non- governmental organizations, ATAB, TOAB, HAAB officials, journalists of various media outlets and officials of US-Bangla Airlines also present on this occasion.