Saudi Gazette report

ABHA — Though five years have passed since a condemned 747 jumbo jet was brought to the Asir province from Madinah to be turned into an innovative airplane restaurant to attract tourists, the project remains ink on paper.

According to Al-Watan newspaper, the giant aircraft arrived at the mountainous area of Um Al-Rukab in Asir in March 2014 and has since been lying there idle.

The residents of Asir were expecting the airplane restaurant to be a tourist landmark that will lure a large number of visitors to their region.

The authorities spent more than SR2 million to tow the airplane to its new location from its earlier hub in Madinah using a huge truck. The difficult trip passing through some 25 towns and cities took about two weeks.

During its journey, the truck caused heavy damage to monuments, electricity lines and bridges on its way.

The restaurant project north of Abha city extends over an area of 17 million sq. meters.

On Feb. 11, 2015, the Abha municipality announced that the project would be awarded to a contractor. Worth about SR25 million, the contract was for turning the aircraft into a luxurious restaurant and building an underground motel at the location in Um Al-Rukab, which overlooks the Tihama mountains.

The municipality also said a number of international firms including some from Malaysia have offered to invest in the project.

Despite repeated promises by the municipality to open the restaurant, which would certainly boost tourist inflow to the area, the project was still slackening.