1961 |
Routes were established to Sharjah and Tehran. In the same year, SAUDIA purchased two (2) Boeing 720-Bs and introduced in- Kingdom training programs |
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1962 |
In March this year, SAUDIA introduced B720-Bs into service thus becoming the first airline in the Middle East to operate commercial jet airliners |
1963 |
SAUDIA was established as a corporation. By Royal Decree No. 45 dated February 19, 1963, signed by King Faisal, the airline became an autonomous entity, run by a Board of Directors and chaired by the Minister of Defense and Aviation |
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1964 |
Two (2) DC-6s were acquired with a third one joining the airline's fleet in 1965. Routes to Khartoum and Dubai were started |
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1965 |
The airline joined the Arab Air Carriers Organization (AACO) as a founding member on August 25th. Service started to Bombay |
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1967 |
SAUDIA joined the International Air Transport Association (IATA) on April 17th. It took delivery of three (3) Douglas DC-9 twin-jets. In February of the same year, routes were opened to Tunis, Rabat and Tripoli (all via Beirut). Likewise, European connections to Geneva, Frankfurt and London (via Beirut) were opened in May |
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1968 |
Two (2) Boeing 707-368s joined the fleet. Nonstop, twice weekly flights to London were inaugurated |
1969 |
Algiers was added to the network of destinations |