Riyadh Air, Saudi Arabia’s new airline, will take to the skies with a fleet 787 Dreamliners. Riyadh Air is on a mission to become one of the most efficient and sustainable fleets in the sky and this acquisition represents a significant milestone towards that.
The airline announced the purchase of 39 of these aircraft, with the intention of more purchases down the track. The country is aiming to serve 330 million passengers and 100 million visitors by 2023.
The 787-9 has the longest range of the 787 families, carrying 300 passengers with a range of 14,000 kilometres. It has the largest windows of any jet, expansive overhead luggage bins, and relaxing LED lighting.
Tony Douglas, CEO of Riyadh Air said: “The new airline reflects the ambitious vision of Saudi Arabia to be at the core of shaping the future of global air travel and be a true disrupter in terms of customer experience.
“Riyadh Air’s commitment to its customers will see the integration of digital innovation and authentic Saudi hospitality to deliver a seamless travel experience. By positioning the airline as both a global connector and a vehicle to drive tourist and business travel to Saudi Arabia, our new 787-9 airplanes will serve as a foundation for our worldwide operations, as we build the wider network and connect our guests to Saudi Arabia and many destinations around the world.”
Stan Deal, president, and CEO of Boeing said: “This is a significant order that will support Riyadh Air’s commitment to deliver a world-class travel experience, while supporting American aerospace manufacturing jobs at Boeing and across our supply chain.
“We are incredibly proud of our nearly eight decades of partnership to drive innovation and sustainable growth in Saudi Arabia’s aviation sector. Our agreement builds on that longstanding partnership and will further expand access to safe and sustainable commercial air travel for decades more.”
