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Riyadh Air

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Riyadh Air
طيران الرياض
ṭayaran ar-Riyaḍ
IATA ICAO Call sign
RX[1] RXI RIYADH AIR
Founded12 March 2023; 21 months ago (2023-03-12)
Commenced operations2025 (planned)
HubsKing Khalid International Airport
Parent companyPublic Investment Fund
HeadquartersRiyadh, Saudi Arabia
Key people
FounderMohammed bin Salman
Websitewww.riyadhair.com
Riyadh Air Boeing 787-9 at Dubai Airshow 2023

Riyadh Air (Arabic: طيران الرياض) is the second flag carrier of Saudi Arabia, based in Riyadh.[3][4] The airline's main hub will be at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, and will operate domestic and international scheduled flights to over 100 destinations in the Middle East and six continents. The fleet will consist of Airbus A321neo & Boeing 787 aircraft.[5]

As of 2024, the airline is planning to operate its first commercial flights in 2025.[6] It has cooperation agreements with SkyTeam members Delta Air Lines,[7] China Eastern Airlines[8] and Saudia,[9] and Star Alliance members Turkish Airlines,[10] Singapore Airlines,[11]Air China,[12] and Egyptair,[13] respectively.

According to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), Riyadh Air will be owned by the country's Public Investment Fund (PIF), with Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the governor of PIF, serving as its chairman. Tony Douglas was appointed as its CEO. He previously served as the CEO of UAE airline Etihad Airways from January 2018 until October 2022.[14] Riyadh Air is expected to add $20 billion to non-oil GDP growth, and create more than 200,000 direct and indirect jobs.

History

[edit]

On 12 March 2023, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, formally announced the establishment of Riyadh Air, the country's newest national airline.[15][16] Two days later, it was announced that the airline had ordered 39 Boeing 787-9 aircraft, with options for 33 more aircraft.[17][18]

Riyadh Air 787-9. This aircraft was still using a Boeing registration.

Riyadh Air unveiled its first livery on 4 June 2023. The livery was painted on a Boeing 787-9, although this aircraft was owned by Boeing and will not enter the Riyadh Air fleet.[19] On the same day, it received its airline designator code "RX" from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) at the World Air Transport Summit, which took place in Istanbul.[20] On 12 June 2023, Boeing delivered the first aircraft to the airline's fleet.[21] On 14 June 2023, the airline was granted its Passenger Air Transport Economic License by the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), which is required for the airline to begin commercial operations.[22] On 21 June 2023, at the Paris Air Show, Riyadh Air signed an agreement for 90 GE Aerospace's GEnx-1B engines to power its future fleet of 39 Boeing 787-9 aircraft.[citation needed]

On 9 July 2024, Riyadh Air signed a memorandum of understanding with Delta Air Lines, a founding member of the SkyTeam alliance.[23] Under the terms of the memorandum, the two airlines would establish a basis for future flight codesharing and alignment of the customer service and frequent-flier program experiences.[24]

On 30 October 2024, Riyadh Air confirmed an order of 60 Airbus A321neo.[25]

Sponsorships

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On 10 August 2023, Riyadh Air became the main shirt sponsor of Spanish La Liga club Atlético de Madrid.[26] On 16 August 2024, Riyadh Air became the official airline of CONCACAF, the association football confederation of North America.[27] On 9 October 2024, Riyadh Air expanded its sponsorship, becoming the stadium naming partner of Atlético de Madrid's Metropolitano Stadium to Riyadh Air Metropolitano.[28]

Destinations

[edit]

Riyadh Air will start flight operations in spring 2025 with a regional network, which shall expand immediately to all global regions.

Co-operation with other airlines shall extend the entire network in several global regions. MoUs are signed with

Fleet

[edit]
Riyadh Air fleet
Aircraft In
service 		Orders Passengers Notes
Airbus A321neo — 60 TBA Order of 60 aircraft.[35]
Boeing 787-9 — 39 TBA Order with 33 options.[36]
Total — 99

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ PIF, Riyadh Air, established by. "Riyadh Air Joins the Global Aviation Ecosystem With Unique Airline Code "RX"". Riyadh Air. Retrieved 2024-10-11.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ Bhoyrul, Anil; Amlot, Matthew (23 September 2022). "Etihad's Tony Douglas agrees to join new Saudi airline RIA". Arabian Business. Archived from the original on 14 October 2023. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  3. ^ Bhoyrul, Anil (1 September 2022). "Exclusive: Saudi Arabia to launch new airline 'RIA' with $30bn war chest to rival Emirates". Arabian Business. Archived from the original on 20 January 2024.
  4. ^ "HRH Crown Prince Announces "Riyadh Air"". Saudi Press Agency. 12 March 2023. Archived from the original on 22 February 2024.
  5. ^ Schlappig, Ben (14 March 2023). "Startup Riyadh Air Orders Up To 72 Boeing 787s". One Mile at a Time. Archived from the original on 5 January 2024.
  6. ^ "Riyadh Air to launch first commercial flight in 2025: CEO".
  7. ^ "Delta, Riyadh Air sign strategic agreement to expand connectivity and premium travel options across North America, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and beyond". Delta News Hub. Delta Air Lines. 9 July 2024. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  8. ^ "Riyadh Air and China Eastern Airlines Sign MoU at IATA AGM in Dubai, Fostering Mutually Beneficial Connectivity and Digital Innovation". www.riyadhair.com. Retrieved 2024-07-10.
  9. ^ "Saudia and Riyadh Air sign a Strategic Cooperation MoU as part of an expansive agreement signifying collaborative strength in the Saudi Arabian Aviation Ecosystem". www.riyadhair.com. Retrieved 2024-07-10.
  10. ^ Godinho, Varun (2023-12-06). "Riyadh Air signs cooperation agreement with Turkish Airlines". Business Traveller. Retrieved 2024-07-22.
  11. ^ PIF, Riyadh Air, established by. "Riyadh Air and Singapore Airlines Sign Strategic Agreement to Establish Commercial Partnership". Riyadh Air. Retrieved 2024-08-23.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  12. ^ Varley, Len (2024-06-06). "Riyadh Air and Air China Strengthen Ties With New Agreement". AviationSource News. Retrieved 2024-07-22.
  13. ^ "Riyadh Air and Egyptair in deal to bolster connectivity". Egypt Air Show 2024. Retrieved 2024-06-15.
  14. ^ "Saudi Crown Prince announces new national airline". Khaleej Times. 12 March 2023. Archived from the original on 27 January 2024. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  15. ^ "HRH Crown Prince Announces "Riyadh Air" New National Carrier to Further Expand Saudi Aviation Ecosystem Locally and Globally". Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund. 12 March 2023. Archived from the original on 22 February 2024. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  16. ^ Maher, Hatem; Gebaly, Muhammad Al (12 March 2023). Lawson, Hugh (ed.). "Saudi Arabia launches new national airline". Reuters. Archived from the original on 3 August 2023.
  17. ^ Dudley, Dominic. "Riyadh Sets Out Fleet Plans For New Airline To Rival Emirates And Qatar". Forbes. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
  18. ^ Rahman, Saifur (15 March 2023). "Riyadh Air orders 72 Boeings worth $17b". Arabian Post. Archived from the original on 15 March 2023. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  19. ^ "Saudi Arabia's Riyadh Air unveils airline's first plane". Arabian Business. 5 June 2023. Archived from the original on 14 October 2023. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  20. ^ "Annual General Meeting & World Air Transport Summit 2023". www.iata.org. Archived from the original on 2024-02-17. Retrieved 2024-06-12.
  21. ^ Singh, Marisha (12 June 2023). "Riyadh Air takes flight in Saudi skies ahead of air show debut: Watch". Gulf Business. Archived from the original on 14 October 2023. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  22. ^ "GACA grants Riyadh Air economic license". Zawya. 14 June 2023. Archived from the original on 16 June 2023. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  23. ^ Kelly Yamanouchi (9 July 2024). "Delta to team with Saudi airline as kingdom invests billions in tourism". ajc.com. Cox Newspapers. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  24. ^ "Delta, Riyadh Air sign strategic agreement to expand connectivity and premium travel options across North America, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and beyond". news.delta.com. Delta Air Lines. 9 July 2024. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  25. ^ "Riyadh Air orders 60 next-generation Airbus A321 aircraft, powering its network in advance of 2025 launch". Riyadh Air. 30 October 2024. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  26. ^ "Riyadh Air, Atlético de Madrid's new main sponsor". Atlético de Madrid. 10 August 2023. Archived from the original on 11 October 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  27. ^ https://www.riyadhair.com/en/media-hub/riyadh-air-announces-major-football-deal-to-become-fifa-confeder
  28. ^ https://www.riyadhair.com/en/media-hub/riyadh-air-is-the-new-naming-partner-of-atletico-de-madrid-s-met
  29. ^ PIF, Riyadh Air, established by. "Riyadh Air and Air China to Strengthen Relations Following the Signing of MoU at IATA AGM in Dubai". Riyadh Air. Retrieved 2024-09-11.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  30. ^ PIF, Riyadh Air, established by. "Riyadh Air and China Eastern Airlines Sign MoU at IATA AGM in Dubai, Fostering Mutually Beneficial Connectivity and Digital Innovation". Riyadh Air. Retrieved 2024-09-11.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  31. ^ PIF, Riyadh Air, established by. "Delta and Riyadh Air sign MoU". Riyadh Air. Retrieved 2024-09-11.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  32. ^ PIF, Riyadh Air, established by. "Riyadh Air and EgyptAir Sign MoU at IATA AGM to Offer Guests Greater Benefits and Connectivity". Riyadh Air. Retrieved 2024-09-11.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  33. ^ PIF, Riyadh Air, established by. "Riyadh Air and Singapore Airlines Sign Strategic Agreement to Establish Commercial Partnership". Riyadh Air. Retrieved 2024-09-11.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  34. ^ PIF, Riyadh Air, established by. "Virgin Atlantic and Riyadh Air sign agreement to expand connectivity and premium travel between London, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and beyond". Riyadh Air. Retrieved 2024-09-11.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  35. ^ "Riyadh Air orders 60 next-generation Airbus A321 aircraft, powering its network in advance of 2025 launch". Riyadh Air. 30 October 2024. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  36. ^ "New Saudi Arabian Carrier Riyadh Air to Launch with All-Boeing Fleet of up to 72 787-9 Dreamliners". Boeing. 14 March 2023. Archived from the original on 14 October 2023. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
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