Riyadh Air brought forward its first commercial flight from 1 July to 10 June, when a London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner took off at 2.30am, bringing to fruition a four-year development programme.
Riyadh Air’s first two 787 Dreamliners arrived in Riyadh on June 5, followed by a third on June 7 – with the delivery schedule of more aircraft continuing to help the airline reach its goal of connecting the Kingdom to 100 destinations by 2030.
Tony Douglas, CEO of Riyadh Air, said: “This is the birth of the world’s newest airline and the celebration of another major milestone in Riyadh Air’s evolution into a world-class, global carrier. The departure of our first commercial flight on our brand-new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner – just five days after its arrival in Riyadh – is the culmination of immense dedication from our team and partners. This daily service not only delivers a new standard of luxury and guest comfort, but it also brings vital new connectivity for passengers traveling from the UK onward to key destinations around the world.”
Five new destinations
Awsat.com reported that Osamah Alnuaiser, senior vice president of marketing and corporate communications at Riyadh Air, said the company had officially started selling tickets to five destinations – Jeddah, Cairo, Dubai, Madrid and Manchester – calling the move the beginning of a route network that will expand gradually in the coming period.
Flights between London and Riyadh will run daily, while Manchester services, launching on 23 July, will run three times a week. Flights to Madrid are expected to take off on 17 July.
Riyadh Air’s first two 787 Dreamliners arrived in Riyadh on June 5, followed by a third on June 7 – with the delivery schedule of more aircraft continuing to help the airline reach its goal of connecting the Kingdom to 100 destinations by 2030.
Alnuaiser said the company expected to have more than 11 aircraft before the end of this year, with monthly deliveries of Boeing 787 aircraft continuing, along with the start of Airbus A321 deliveries at year’s end. That, he said, would strengthen fleet diversity and operational flexibility.
Riyadh Air is targeting a global network of over 100 destinations by 2030, with a focus on connecting the Saudi capital to major economic, tourism, and cultural hubs.
