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Kuwait’s Jazeera Airways announced on March 25 that it will expand its operations in Saudi Arabia, adding King Fahd International Airport in Dammam (DMM) to its existing base at Qaisumah Airport (AQI).
The move, effective March 26, is part of a “dual-airport strategy” supporting Project Baraka, a large-scale airlift initiative aimed at transporting passengers and cargo to and from Kuwait via Saudi territory amid the ongoing regional conflict.
Since launching its first evacuation flight to Cairo in early March, the Kuwaiti LCC has transported between 13,000 and 14,000 passengers. If current operations continue, that number could surpass 200,000 by the end of April, representing roughly 40% of Jazeera Airways’ pre-crisis network. Cargo capacity is expected to exceed 2 million tons by April 30.
Jazeera Airways remains the only airline providing direct connectivity between Kuwait and several destinations across Egypt, India, Jordan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates, with plans to expand to more than 20 destinations.
“This is not just running an airline,” CEO Barathan Pasupathi said during a media briefing March 25. “It’s building connectivity for an entire country under extraordinary circumstances.”
The airline has already introduced an “air-to-land” model via Qaisumah, allowing travelers to continue their journeys despite widespread disruptions affecting traditional routes.
Pasupathi said maintaining reliable transport links has been the airline’s top priority.
“Our priority from day one has been to establish a connectivity bridge to keep Kuwait moving safely and reliably,” Pasupathi said. “By expanding our operations in Saudi Arabia to include Dammam alongside Qaisumah, we are strengthening that bridge for both passengers and essential cargo.”
Pasupathi also highlighted the ongoing support from the Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) and the airline’s partners in the Kingdom for enabling the development.
Despite the scale-up, Pasupathi said that operations “remain complex.” Passengers must arrive up to nine hours before departure from Kuwait for processing, including visa issuance under special exemptions, as well as biometric checks.
“Despite the complexity, the system is working,” he said, adding that procedures are being refined to improve efficiency and reduce delays.
All departures and arrivals from both Qaisumah and Dammam continue to operate from Jazeera’s temporary terminal at the Kuwait International Fairgrounds in Mishref.
Jazeera Airways operates a fleet of 23 aircraft. Pasupathi also confirmed that an additional 26 aircraft are expected to be delivered starting in October 2026 as part of the airline’s long-term growth strategy.
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