Company Insights Riyadh Air Aviation Riyadh Air Overview The establishment of Riyadh Air, Saudi Arabia’s second flag carrier, was formally announced by Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman in March 2023. The airline is planning to operate its first commercial flights in 2025. Riyadh Air’s main hub will be at King Khalid International Airport (to be renamed King Salman International Airport following expansion due to be completed by 2030) in Riyadh. The airline plans to operate domestic and international scheduled flights to over 100 destinations in the Middle East and six continents. In March 2023 Riyadh Air ordered 39 Boeing 787-9 aircraft, with options for 33 more.n October 2024 Riyadh Air confirmed an order of 60 Airbus A321neo. Riyadh Air unveiled its first livery in June 2023, with its first indigo painted Boeing 787-9 aircraft. It has received the airline designator code “RX” from the International Air Transport Association. In July 2024, Riyadh Air signed a memorandum of understanding with Delta Air Lines. Under the terms of the memorandum, the two airlines would establish a basis for future flight codesharing and alignment of customer service and frequent-flyer programmes. Riyadh Air has also signed MoUs with Air China, China Eastern Airlines, Egyptair, Singapore Airlines and Virgin Atlantic. Riyadh Air News Opinion Aviation BA drops Kuwait after 60 years… but why? A simple hard-headed business decision is the most likely explanation November 27, 2024 Opinion Media & Advertising Could Riyadh Air’s brand help Saudi Arabia take off? National airlines have an outsize role to play in nation-branding November 26, 2024 Analysis Aviation Riyadh Air secures unprecedented number of airport slots Riyadh Air has secured more than 2,500 slots at Riyadh King Khalid International Airport, positioning itself as the fourth-largest carrier at the capital’s main gateway as it prepares to launch operations in the summer 2025 season, according to filings by Airport Coordination Limited. The allocation marks a striking start for the state-backed carrier, which aims […] November 25, 2024 Tourism Saudi travel firm targets Chinese ahead of IPO Saudi Arabia is hoping to attract 5 million Chinese tourists by 2030 as part of a push that is also targeting Russia, Germany, Italy and the UK, leading tour operator Almosafer said on Wednesday, flagging a likely IPO within two years. “China is the top tourist source market and you really need to have a […] November 21, 2024 Aviation Etihad profit soars on passenger and cargo volumes Etihad Airways has reported a 66 percent increase in nine-month profit built on higher passenger and cargo revenue. The Abu Dhabi carrier said profit after tax for the period reached $381 million (AED1.4 billion), up from $222 million a year earlier. Total revenue was up 21 percent to $5 billion, which the airline said was […] November 14, 2024 Aviation Saudia to receive flying taxis despite Lilium’s insolvency Saudi national carrier Saudia still plans to receive some of its 50-plane order of pilotless electric flying vehicles from Lilium despite the German company’s intention to file for insolvency. “We are in close coordination with the Lilium leadership team. We are expecting to receive the first jets in the second half of 2026, as per […] November 7, 2024 Opinion Aviation Emirates and the A380: an enduring affair The airline will use the double-decker for another 15 years after planning to retire it November 4, 2024 Aviation Startup airline Riyadh Air secures $1.3bn credit facility Riyadh Air, the Saudi airline that is due to start operations next year, signed a SAR5 billion ($1.3 billion) credit facility with a syndicate of banks on Wednesday, as it announced an order for 60 more aircraft. The kingdom’s second flag carrier, owned by the PIF sovereign wealth fund, has closed an inaugural Islamic revolving […] October 31, 2024 Giga-projects Diriyah delays completion date as projects vie for funds The historical district of Diriyah, one of Saudi Arabia’s major giga-projects, will be completed in time for the World Expo in 2030 – three years later than previously announced, its CEO Jerry Inzerillo said on Wednesday. The giga-projects, valued in total at more than $1.25 trillion, are competing for government and private sector resources amid […] October 31, 2024 Aviation Riyadh Air takes aim at online travel giants Saudi Arabia’s new airline, Riyadh Air, is to compete with global travel companies such as Booking.com and Expedia by developing a one-stop digital platform for customers to plan and manage entire trips. The website will cover flights, accommodation, car rentals, AI-generated itineraries and tickets to attractions and concerts. It will also include shared shopping cart […] October 31, 2024 Posts navigation 1 2 … 10 Next
Opinion Aviation BA drops Kuwait after 60 years… but why? A simple hard-headed business decision is the most likely explanation November 27, 2024
Opinion Media & Advertising Could Riyadh Air’s brand help Saudi Arabia take off? National airlines have an outsize role to play in nation-branding November 26, 2024
Analysis Aviation Riyadh Air secures unprecedented number of airport slots Riyadh Air has secured more than 2,500 slots at Riyadh King Khalid International Airport, positioning itself as the fourth-largest carrier at the capital’s main gateway as it prepares to launch operations in the summer 2025 season, according to filings by Airport Coordination Limited. The allocation marks a striking start for the state-backed carrier, which aims […] November 25, 2024
Tourism Saudi travel firm targets Chinese ahead of IPO Saudi Arabia is hoping to attract 5 million Chinese tourists by 2030 as part of a push that is also targeting Russia, Germany, Italy and the UK, leading tour operator Almosafer said on Wednesday, flagging a likely IPO within two years. “China is the top tourist source market and you really need to have a […] November 21, 2024
Aviation Etihad profit soars on passenger and cargo volumes Etihad Airways has reported a 66 percent increase in nine-month profit built on higher passenger and cargo revenue. The Abu Dhabi carrier said profit after tax for the period reached $381 million (AED1.4 billion), up from $222 million a year earlier. Total revenue was up 21 percent to $5 billion, which the airline said was […] November 14, 2024
Aviation Saudia to receive flying taxis despite Lilium’s insolvency Saudi national carrier Saudia still plans to receive some of its 50-plane order of pilotless electric flying vehicles from Lilium despite the German company’s intention to file for insolvency. “We are in close coordination with the Lilium leadership team. We are expecting to receive the first jets in the second half of 2026, as per […] November 7, 2024
Opinion Aviation Emirates and the A380: an enduring affair The airline will use the double-decker for another 15 years after planning to retire it November 4, 2024
Aviation Startup airline Riyadh Air secures $1.3bn credit facility Riyadh Air, the Saudi airline that is due to start operations next year, signed a SAR5 billion ($1.3 billion) credit facility with a syndicate of banks on Wednesday, as it announced an order for 60 more aircraft. The kingdom’s second flag carrier, owned by the PIF sovereign wealth fund, has closed an inaugural Islamic revolving […] October 31, 2024
Giga-projects Diriyah delays completion date as projects vie for funds The historical district of Diriyah, one of Saudi Arabia’s major giga-projects, will be completed in time for the World Expo in 2030 – three years later than previously announced, its CEO Jerry Inzerillo said on Wednesday. The giga-projects, valued in total at more than $1.25 trillion, are competing for government and private sector resources amid […] October 31, 2024
Aviation Riyadh Air takes aim at online travel giants Saudi Arabia’s new airline, Riyadh Air, is to compete with global travel companies such as Booking.com and Expedia by developing a one-stop digital platform for customers to plan and manage entire trips. The website will cover flights, accommodation, car rentals, AI-generated itineraries and tickets to attractions and concerts. It will also include shared shopping cart […] October 31, 2024
