Riyadh Air Orders 60 Airbus A321neos

Riyadh Air is moving away from being an all-Boeing operator for the first time after being named a new customer of Airbus following a hefty order.

The deal, valued in the billions, will see the purchase of 60 next-generation A321neo aircraft after confirmation between Airbus executives and Riyadh Air CEO Tony Douglas.

Riyadh Air is the latest Middle East carrier gearing up for a launch in 2025. The company has recently commenced crucial test flights to get relevant approvals. However, up until this point, the carrier was an all-Boeing customer.

The A321neo purchase will bring the airline’s total commitment to new aircraft well over 100 units and align with its target of having a route network that serves some 100 destinations by the turn of the decade.

Riyadh Air has incredibly ambitious targets, such as its future fleet and route network, but it has vowed not to compete with Emirates or Qatar Airways but rather forge a pathway of its own as a niche operator in Saudi Arabia.

The airline’s CEO, Tony Douglas, came across from fellow Middle Eastern carrier Etihad Airways and rejected claims in 2023 that the airline wouldn’t be commercially viable as it looks to expand aggressively before even operating a commercial service.

Douglas believes there are endless possibilities with the new airline, such as attempting to offer one of the best onboard experiences seen worldwide. A great emphasis has been placed on the guest experience, which will be challenging to excel initially but is a long-term focus.

The launch of this company further aligns with the Kingdom’s ambitions of becoming a tourism hot spot in future years. To facilitate that, while investment must be made to boost tourism, having Riyadh Air foster connections is an important pillar.

We are pleased to embark on another key milestone in Riyadh Air’s journey with the carrier’s second major fleet order, this time in partnership with Airbus. This deal underlines the airline’s ambitious intentions in advance of next year’s launch as it builds a comprehensive international network and establishes Riyadh as a major strategic global aviation hub.

His Excellency Yasir Al-Rumayyan, PIF Governor and Chairman of Riyadh Air

The purchase of the A321neo is labelled as another key step in the airline’s development. Once delivered, it will complement Boeing 787 aircraft while aiding net zero emission targets.

All these new aircraft will increase Riyadh Air’s ability to serve markets with unpublished initial destinations. However, the airline has already warned of supply chain issues that could delay the delivery of key aircraft over the next few years.

These next few years are fundamental to the airline’s development and will no doubt attempt to run as smoothly as possible. Unfortunately, smoothness within the industry seems to have been forgotten thanks to a turbulent last half-decade, from a pandemic to other related issues.