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- Carrier is awaiting delivery of its initial aircraft to commence services
- Riyadh Air secured necessary landing slots for its first destinations
RIYADH: 海角直播鈥檚 Riyadh Air is gearing up to introduce a new international destination every two months once it begins operations, as the carrier prepares to receive its first Boeing 787 aircraft.
Riyadh Air, fully owned by the Public Investment Fund, is awaiting delivery of its initial aircraft to commence services, according to CEO Tony Douglas.
Speaking to Bloomberg, he said the airline requires two jets to initiate a round-trip route to each new destination, adding that the Saudi carrier aims to connect to 100 cities by 2030 as part of its long-term growth strategy.
This aligns with the Kingdom鈥檚 National Aviation Strategy, which targets doubling passenger capacity to 330 million annually from over 250 global destinations and increasing cargo handling to 4.5 million tonnes by 2030.
The carrier currently has four Boeing 787 Dreamliners in different stages of assembly at Boeing鈥檚 facility in Charleston, South Carolina. Operations are expected to begin once the first two aircraft have been delivered.
Riyadh Air had initially planned to launch services in early 2025, but delays in aircraft handovers from Boeing have pushed back the timeline.
鈥淭he fact that these are in production probably brings my blood pressure down,鈥� Douglas said. 鈥淚 will actually not believe they have been delivered until the day after they have been delivered.鈥�
Douglas also said Riyadh Air has secured the necessary landing slots for its first destinations, though he did not disclose which cities.
At the Paris Air Show this week, the airline announced an order for up to 50 Airbus A350 long-range jets, with deliveries expected to begin in 2030.
Riyadh Air has also placed orders for 60 Airbus A321neo narrowbody aircraft and as many as 72 Boeing 787s, including options.
Commenting on the Airbus order, Douglas said the decision was based on the aircraft鈥檚 capabilities and favorable commercial terms when compared with Boeing鈥檚 777X model. 鈥淚t was a very close call,鈥� he said.
The airline鈥檚 growth strategy reflects the Kingdom鈥檚 ambition to transform Riyadh into a global travel hub and position 海角直播 as a major player in international aviation.
Riyadh Air aims to contribute to the broader Vision 2030 goals by enhancing connectivity and promoting tourism across the Kingdom.