LUCKNOW, Oct. 27 -- In a major achievement that could give a fillip to Lucknow's international aviation connectivity, Saudia Airlines operated its Boeing 777 aircraft to the city for the first time early on Tuesday. The wide-body aircraft carrying around 430 passengers landed at Lucknow airport at 3:42 am. On its return journey at 5:39 am, it had about 300 passengers onboard.

The aircraft operated as flights SV-892 and SV-893. The deployment of the larger aircraft on the Lucknow route is important for passengers travelling between Uttar Pradesh and Saudi Arabia. A higher-capacity aircraft can accommodate more passengers per flight, potentially helping airlines respond to demand on busy international routes.

The development has also rene...