RIYADH: As part of the airline’s certification process, Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Air, a division of the Public Investment Fund, has conducted its first non-commercial flight out of King Khalid International Airport in the capital. This is an important step towards the airline’s full certification, according to a press release, and it’s a requirement for getting an Air Operator Certificate from the General Authority of Civil Aviation. On September 12, the first flight, RX5001, took off from Riyadh and landed at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah. As part of its certification flying program, Riyadh Air plans to conduct a number of domestic and international flights in the upcoming months.
The company thanked its major sponsors in a statement, praising GACA for overseeing regulations, Saudia Airlines for leasing the 787-9, Riyadh Airports Co. for logistical support, Saudia Technic for maintaining aircraft, and Alsalam Aerospace Industries Co. for providing hangar space. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman launched Riyadh Air in March 2023 as part of the Kingdom’s ambition to become a global aviation leader by tripling yearly passenger traffic to 330 million and extending connectivity to over 250 destinations.
According to the press release, “this represents another significant milestone in our journey to our maiden flight in 2025.” With plans to begin commercial operations in 2025, Riyadh Air has been aggressively growing its alliances with top international airlines. In order to forge strategic alliances and broaden its worldwide network, the airline inked contracts with Singapore Airlines and Air China in June.
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