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Riyadh Airways, Saudi Arabia’s new national carrier that plans to partner with Emirates, has just ordered a large number of aircraft.
Riyadh Air Boeing 787 order confirmed
Riyadh Airways has just ordered a Boeing 787-9. Specifically, the newly formed company has firm orders for 39 Boeing 787-9 aircraft, with options for 33 more.
Riyadh Air CEO Tony Douglas said of the aircraft order:
“This new airline reflects Saudi Arabia’s ambitious vision to be at the heart of shaping the future of global air travel and a true disruptor in terms of customer experience.”
“Riyadh Airways’ commitment to customers integrates digital innovation and authentic Saudi hospitality to deliver a seamless travel experience. By positioning it as a vehicle to facilitate travel, our new 787-9 will serve as the foundation of our global operations as we build a broader network and connect our customers to Saudi Arabia. .Arabia and many destinations around the world.”
At the moment, there are still no details about the potential delivery schedule for these jets, but you have to imagine that Riyadh Air wants to get these jets as soon as possible.
Riyadh Airways is expected to order another aircraft from Boeing soon to help build its regional network, and is likely to order a Boeing 737 MAX. No one knows whether Boeing’s long-delayed new flagship long-range aircraft, the Boeing 777X, will also ultimately receive orders.
The investment will come from the side of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), which owns the new airline. The order for these aircraft is aimed at supporting Saudi Arabia’s vision of attracting 100 million visitors per year by 2030.
![](https://cdn.onemileatatime.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Riyadh-Air-787-Rendering.jpeg)
Riyadh Airways also rumored to order Airbus A350
It is also worth mentioning that in October 2022, Reuters reported that Riyadh Airways is expected to order 40 Airbus A350s worth $12 billion at list price. It’s not entirely clear what happened to that order. I suspect Riyadh Airways will place large orders with both Airbus and Boeing in order to grow at the pace they desire.
However, the order with Boeing was ultimately finalized before the order with Airbus. Politically, this is interesting to watch as tensions between the US and Saudi Arabia deepen.
![](https://cdn.onemileatatime.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Airbus-A350-1000.jpg)
Basics of Riyadh Air, Saudi Arabia’s new airline
To explain the background of Riyadh Airways (originally using the name “RIA”), it is Saudi Arabia’s plan to launch a new giant airline aimed at competing with other major Gulf airlines. It is. Saudi Arabia is investing in tourism on a scale never seen before, including by establishing a new airline. The country plans to invest $100 billion in aviation by 2030.
Under the plan, Riyadh Air will be a Riyadh-based airline. The current national airline, Saudia, will continue, but its headquarters will be in Jeddah. The airline will serve both tourists and business travelers, and the goal is to become the size of Emirates in a quarter of the time. The company will primarily focus on transit passengers traveling between other countries, which may be difficult for many travelers given Saudi Arabia’s reputation.
Before anyone thinks this is just a theoretical concept, this airline looks like something Saudi Arabia is actively working on. The country has poached former Etihad Airways CEO Tony Douglas to run Etihad Airways. Several other key airline executives were also hired by the new company.
![](https://cdn.onemileatatime.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Riyadh-Air-Logo.jpeg)
conclusion
Saudi Arabian airline startup Riyadh Air has just ordered its first aircraft. The company plans to acquire up to 72 Boeing 787-9 aircraft, with 39 firm orders and 33 options. Given the pace at which this airline is looking to grow, I expect this to be just the first of many new aircraft orders.
We’ve obviously seen Gulf airlines grow over the years, but Riyadh Air’s plans are truly unprecedented, and we’ve never seen an aviation project this ambitious and well-funded. there is not. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.
What do you think about Riyadh Air’s aircraft order?
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