DUBAI: State-owned Saudi Arabian Airlines plans to return to profitability by 2024, its chief executive officer said on Monday.

Global airlines industry has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, which has left many planes grounded or flying near empty.

However, Saudi Arabian Airlines was seeing domestic demand exceed capacity, CEO Ibrahim Koshy told the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai.

(Reporting by Alexander Cornwell, editing by Louise Heavens) ((Alexander.Cornwell@thomsonreuters.com;))