Riyadh Air challenges Emirates & co: "We will fly to 200 destinations"
It is one of the projects that arouses the most curiosity and anticipation in the entire world air transport. The new Saudi flag carrier, [...]
Riyadh Air
Saudi Arabia
It is one of the projects that arouses the most curiosity and anticipation in the entire world air transport. The new Saudi flag carrier, Riyadh Air, in just a few months she is burning through all the stops and is ready to Take off in 2025 with ambitious goals aiming to change the geography of flights in the Middle East, Asia and Europe.
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A novelty so strong that the other Saudi carrier, Saudia, had to operate in a hurry an extensive rebranding and image operation to mark the distance from the new entry.
Anything but a start-up
Often called a start-up - like the local Ita Airways - Riyadh Air is already an economic giant funded by the Saudi Kingdom's public investment fund and has already signed a major partnership of marketing in the world of soccer, with Atletico Madrid.
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Recently the ceo of the newly formed company, Tony Douglas (formerly Etihad), relaunched his vision for a carrier born only a few months ago that has the clear goal of improving air connectivity of theSaudi Arabia, making its capital a major air hub.
But Riyadh's plan is much broader than that. In fact, according to Douglas, traffic to and from Saudi Arabia-a destination that is investing billions of dollars in tourism and infrastructure-is already sufficient to support the rise of a major new airline.
"Saudi Arabia is becoming the fastest growing economy in the world with a large young population that is eager to travel, but pays the current lack of direct air connections to many of the world's major cities," the ceo said in an interview with the aerotime.aero.
An important point, for example, will be the direct connections with China. "I recently had to travel to the Asian country and could not find direct flights to some of the most important Chinese hubs. For the world's fastest growing economy, this is completely unacceptable," Douglas said.
Riyadh at the center of the world
According to the carrier's ceo, unlike nearby hubs such as Doha or Dubai, there is enough demand in Saudi Arabia to support these direct flights without necessarily having to rely on global connecting traffic.
"The 93% of traffic entering Riyadh right now is. point-to-point - he added- Saudi Arabia is the second most searched destination on the Internet this year, and the phenomenon continues to grow." The new airline, therefore, will be based in the kingdom's capital, Riyadh; while Saudia will increasingly focus operations on Jeddah.
"Riyadh Air will fly to all major destinations in Europe, to the east coast of the North America, the capitals of Central Europe, Central Asia, the Indian subcontinent and the Far East-reminded Douglas-but it will also activate many routes to regional cities in the Persian Gulf communities and to all major domestic destinations."
The relationship with Saudia
An important issue will be precisely the role of competitive collaboration with Saudia. Both carriers Are owned by the local government and it is an almost unique case in the world that two national airlines coexist.
Douglas clarified that the two carriers will be complementary, arguing that the potential for Saudi customers is equal to several European countries combined. "The flight time between Riyadh and Jeddah is similar to that between Lisbon and Rome - said the ceo - How many domestic carriers in Europe fly between the two cities? Certainly not just one."
A network from 200 cities
Douglas then addressed the airline's more operational issues. "Riyadh Air will be a leader in environmental sustainability, it will be a true native digital carrier - because we have no inheritance-and will have a maniacal attention to detail and to the experience of the guests. We will make a quantum leap in air transport."
In addition to the 72 aircraft Boeing 787 Dreamliner ordered in March 2023, Douglas confirmed that an order for a series of narrowbody aircraft will arrive shortly. "We will build a fleet consistent with the kind of geographies I mentioned earlier, we want to Flying to 200 cities around the world And we will be a major airline."
Riyadh Air's plans, in fact, are to close an additional order of about 150 Boeing 737Max which will go to serve domestic routes and regional flights within the six-hour travel time.
