Saudia (SV, Jeddah International) is set to resume services to Kozhikode in southern India on December 3, 2018, after a three-year-long gap, Manorama Online has reported. The airport has recently secured approval from India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to resume widebody operations.

Flights from Jeddah International will operate daily onboard B777-200(ER) or A330-300 equipment.

Kozhikode was closed to widebody traffic in May of 2015 for what was initially expected to be a six-month period in the aftermath of a wide-ranging safety investigation into the 2010 crash of an Air India Express (IX, Delhi International) B737-800 in Mangalore Bajpe. Since then, the runway was extended and new procedures implemented.

Air India and Emirates are also reportedly considering launching widebody services to Kozhikode. According to the ch-aviation capacity module, the airport already sees considerable international traffic predominantly to the Gulf countries, but flights are operated exclusively with narrowbody jets. The largest carriers at Kozhikode are Air India Express and IndiGo Airlines, which combined exceed 50% market share by capacity.