Riyadh Air Is Ready To Launch

Riyadh Air is cleared for takeoff after obtaining its Air Operator Certificate from the GACA—General Authority of Civil Aviation—Saudi Arabia.

Securing the all-important AOC is crucial for airlines seeking to commence scheduled passenger flights, and the company has been working towards this goal for some time.

The addition of the airline’s first technical spare enabled the carrier to begin more thorough flight-proving and other testing to ensure it could secure its AOC on time.

The flight testing campaign began in September 2024 when Riyadh Air confirmed it had been granted permission to commence noncommercial flights from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s capital city, Riyadh.

RXI5001 operated the first noncommercial flight from Riyadh to Jeddah. In the following months, the airline completed many rotations to prove it could operate commercial flights sometime in 2025.

Riyadh Air has all the relevant documentation to begin flights, but it remains a little more complicated than just starting flights.

Ongoing Delays To Launch

On several occasions, Riyadh Air has been forced to delay the launch of scheduled passenger services, much to the frustration of all involved.

The delays stemmed from the airline’s inability to acquire 787 Dreamliners quickly from Boeing. As a result, the impact has been directly on the ability to launch scheduled passenger flights.

Previously, the Saudi Arabia-based carrier had been targeting a highly anticipated launch around the mid-way point of the 2025 calendar year, which is impossible now.

Unfortunately, given the complexities of ongoing supply chains and Boeing’s internal struggles, guidance has been provided for launch, such as Q3, but based on recent comments, this seems unlikely.

Much of the carrier’s challenge in launching scheduled passenger flights is an industry-wide problem spurred by the Federal Aviation Administration’s increased oversight.

As a result, Boeing’s production rates have dropped. Riyadh Air will strongly rely on Boeing to produce aircraft for its long-haul operations. It has 72 787s on order.

The slower-than-ever production rates mean that acquiring these planes when expected will not happen, and the carrier must begin planning for a more challenging launch than expected.

Who Are Riyadh Air?

Riyadh Air was unveiled some time ago as part of the Saudi Arabia Kingdom’s plan to boost the economy, with a strong focus on aviation enabling that.

As part of the efforts to make Saudi Arabia a desirable location, greater emphasis has been placed on building the aviation sector. Riyadh Air aims to be fundamental in allowing this to take place.

Former Etihad Airways executive Tony Douglas backs the airline, and other high-profile executives make up the team. The team aims to create a thriving global airline.

Despite focusing on a premium service with initially wide bodies, the emerging airline hasn’t focused on competing with neighbouring and far more established airlines such as Etihad, Qatar, and Emirates.

Instead, Riyadh Air was described in 2023 as an airline with great potential across niche markets. Executives have already rejected claims that it wouldn’t be financially viable as it plots aggressive expansion.

Once launched, Riyadh Air wants to offer one of the best onboard products while being an affordable airline that can be seen worldwide.