Riyadh Air delays launch to late 2025

Riyadh Air’s plans to launch in the middle of this year have been scuppered by the same delays in aircraft delivery which continues to hamper carriers around the world.

The new Saudi Arabian flag-carrier has long maintained it would begin commercial flights in mid-2025 with three Boeing 787-9s, but recently took up the lease on an Oman Air 787 to serve as a “technical spare” to serve alongside two factory-fresh Dreamliners at launch.

That timetable has now changed, with the airline confirming it is now aiming to launch towards the end of this year.

A spokesperson for Riyadh Air tells Executive Traveller “we remain in close contact with our colleagues at Boeing with the aim to receive delivery of a number of aircraft later this year... given well-known global supply chain challenges, we expect delivery to start in Q3, facilitating the start of operations soon after.”

The reveal of the full Riyadh Air experience – including its new business class suites and premium economy recliners – remains on track for the coming months.

The ‘big bang’ launch will also include a first look at the inflight entertainment system and Riyadh Air app, while packaging up the overall passenger experience of the new Saudi Arabian flag-carrier.

Riyadh Air routes and destinations

“We’ll launch with three airplanes,” CEO Tony Douglas told Executive Traveller in late 2024which will be “flying from Riyadh to let’s say ‘European capital A’ and back.”

“Then the airplane will turn around and do a shorter leg on thick routes within the region – to Jeddah, for example.”

“It will then come back to Riyadh, turn around and then do ‘European city B’, and so on.”

Riyadh Air aims to add around two destinations every month, fuelled by a steady flow of jets.

“The network builds out on every additional aircraft that arrives. Every time we get another plane we’ll just increase the number of those cities.” 

Riyadh Air's Boeing 787s will feature striking livery outside and business class suites inside.

The Riyadh Air fleet

Douglas has inked an order for 39 Boeing 787-9s, with the option to buy 33 more, and he expects a steady stream of deliveries through the back half of 2025 and beyond.

Those will be complemented by 60 single-aisle jets from the Airbus A321neo family – an order that’s likely to include long-range A321LR or XLR models fitted with lie-flat business class beds.

Arriving from the second half of 2026 through to 2030, these smaller jets will take over short- to medium-range routes.

Next up will be a fresh batch of long-range Airbus A350-1000 or Boeing 777X jets.

Douglas expects to place that order before the airline’s mid-2025 launch as a confident sign of its trajectory in growing to more than 200 aircraft “connecting to well over 100 destinations.”

Riyadh Air’s 787 business class

As previously reported, Douglas describes Riyadh Air’s 787 business class as a ‘Mercedes Maybach’ of the skies.

And as Riyadh Air won’t offer first class, Douglas wants to elevate business class to the highest possible standard, “as opposed to throwing real estate (at first class) in a non-financially sustainable way.”

Here’s what we can expect from Riyadh Air’s 787 business class:

• sliding privacy doors
• 22” 4K OLED HD video screens with Bluetooth audio streaming
• AC power along with dual USB-A and dual USB-C outlets
• fast free WiFi

Riyadh Air’s 787 premium economy

Douglas also talks up Riyadh Air premium economy as a best-in-class product which will be closer to business class than economy class, although not to the extent of having lie-flat seats.

All the same, “I would like to think our premium economy is better than most other airlines’ business class,” Douglas tells Executive Traveller.

Premium economy tends to fall into being either “business class-minus or economy-plus”, Douglas says.

“In other words, is it closer to other people’s business, or is it closer to other people’s economy?”

From that perspective, Riyadh Air’s premium economy recliners will be “a step up to business-minus as opposed to economy-plus.”

Each Riyadh Air premium economy recliner will be fronted by an almost-16” screens with four USB-C power outlets.

Further back in economy, passengers will have 13.3” screens with dual USB-C power ports.

Will Riyadh Air serve alcohol?

Given Saudi Arabia’s strict prohibitions against alcohol, which has been banned since 1952 and is not even served in hotels, will Riyadh Air be a ‘dry’ airline?

“It’s very straightforward, really,” Douglas says. “We’ll work within the legal framework that is present at any point in time.”

“At the moment, alcohol is prohibited within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and therefore we will work with that as being the current legislation.”

“If over time things change, we’ll adapt and adjust accordingly.”

Douglas’ carefully-chosen words are framed against speculation that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will allow exceptions to the conservative kingdom’s ban on alcohol as part of an ambitious agenda to develop the nation as a regional trade, finance, and tourism hub.

Other Gulf states, including the United Arab Emirates, have allowed non-Muslims to drink in hotels and licensed restaurants for several years.

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