Saudi Arabia’s new national airline will operate its first flights, early 2025, as it plans more aircraft orders, Riyadh Air chief executive office Tony Douglas said in an interview with Agence France-Presse (AFP).
“These aircrafts are being assembled in the United States of America and they’ll be delivered to us with the kind of timetable that allows us to prepare to go into service in early 2025,” the former chief of Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways said.
Riyadh Air, which was officially unveiled last Sunday, had announced an agreement to purchase 39 Boeing Dreamliners, with options for 33 more jets on Tuesday.
The move is part of the kingdom’s “wider strategic plan” to transform the country into a global hub for aviation.
“This unprecedented order for a new carrier – 39 confirmed aircraft with an option to acquire 33 additional wide-body 787-9 Dreamliner airplanes – is a strong signal of intent for Saudi Arabia to become a global aviation hub,” PIF said in a statement.
In total, national carriers also announced their intent to purchase up to 121 787 Dreamliners.
This will be the fifth-largest commercial order by value in Boeing’s history, and will also support the country’s goal of serving 330 million passengers and attracting 100 million visits by 2030.
“It will be added to with further orders during the course of this year, and that will give us a sizeable fleet that will allow us to connect to over 100 different destinations,” Douglas added.
When asked about the possibility of contracts with Airbus, Douglas praised the firm’s product and said “the same rigorous campaigns and no doubt the same global manufacturers will be at the table” during future bids, according to the AFP report.
Riyadh Air, which will operate from the Saudi Capital, aims to connect travellers from the world over to more than 100 destinations by 2030.
“Riyadh Air will be an international carrier, it will be a regional carrier and it will be a national carrier within obviously the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia itself. So we’ll touch all points within the network,” Douglas told AFP.
The launch of Riyadh Air aligns with the PIF’s mission to boost key sectors of the Saudi Arabian economy, support the National Tourism Strategy, and create new employment opportunities.
The new deal is also expected to support nearly 100,000 direct and indirect jobs, and over 300 supplier across 38 states in the US. This is including 145 US small businesses.
Meanwhile in Saudi Arabia, the new airline is expected to add $20 billion to non-oil GDP growth and create over 200,000 direct and indirect jobs.
Douglas added that as of Tuesday night over 73,000 people had submitted their CVs via the company website.
Riyadh Air will prioritise digital technology and sustainability, reflecting Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 initiatives.
The airline aims to become a global leader by equipping its airplanes with advanced features and innovative cabin interiors, through this priority aspects.
The first widebody aircraft will be delivered in early 2025, and the airline will operate in accordance with net zero emissions goals.
The 787-9 Dreamliner model, chosen for its eco-friendly design, considers CO2 emissions, fuel efficiency, and noise regulations, according to the PIF statement.
As per the AFP report, Riyadh Air hopes to turn the Saudi capital into a regional travel hub to rival Dubai and Doha.
The new national airline represents PIF’s latest investment in the sector, along with the recently announced King Salman International Airport masterplan.
“This is a statement of intent by the kingdom. This is about a brand of Riyadh. This is about the hub being here in the capital city. And this is about allowing the kingdom to have better connectivity to the world and, as importantly, the world to have better connectivity to the kingdom,” Douglas told AFP.
Once Riyadh Air begins operations, the airline will also provide tourists from around the world the opportunity to visit Saudi Arabia’s cultural and natural attractions.
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