RIYADH: As the airline is ready to receive its first Boeing 787 aircraft, Riyadh Air of Saudi Arabia is preparing to launch a new foreign destination every two months after it starts operations. According to CEO Tony Douglas, Riyadh Air, which is entirely owned by the Public Investment Fund, is waiting on the delivery of its first aircraft before starting operations. As part of its long-term expansion goal, the Saudi airline wants to link to 100 locations by 2030, he told Bloomberg, adding that it needs two aircraft to launch a round-trip service to each new destination.
This is in line with the Kingdom’s National Aviation Strategy, which aims to increase cargo handling to 4.5 million tonnes by 2030 and double passenger capacity to 330 million passengers annually from more than 250 international destinations. Four Boeing 787 Dreamliners are presently being assembled by the airline at Boeing’s Charleston, South Carolina, factory in various phases. After the delivery of the first two aircraft, operations are anticipated to start.
Early 2025 was the original debut date for Riyadh Air, however the date has been pushed back due to delays in Boeing aircraft handovers. “I think that having these in production lowers my blood pressure,” Douglas remarked. “The day after they are delivered is when I will truly believe they have been delivered.” Although he did not specify which locations, Douglas added that Riyadh Air had reserved the required landing slots for its initial destinations.
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