Riyadh Air Nears AOC Approval, Plans Routes for 2025
Saudi Arabian startup Riyadh Air is making significant progress in obtaining its air operator certificate (AOC) and is set to announce its initial routes in early 2025. CEO Tony Douglas shared the latest updates during Routes World 2024 in Bahrain, stating, “We’re into route-proving flights at the moment.” The airline is on track to complete this process shortly and expects to secure its AOC by the end of the year.
Riyadh Air has placed orders for 39 Boeing 787-9s, with an additional 33 options, to serve as its launch aircraft. These long-haul planes will operate through Riyadh to regional destinations, maximizing aircraft utilization. Douglas noted that slot timings will be crucial for airports aiming to secure Riyadh Air routes.
In addition to its widebody orders, Douglas announced that a narrowbody order of “roughly equivalent scale” will be revealed soon, enabling the startup to commence narrowbody operations within a year of launching. An order campaign for larger widebody aircraft has also begun.
While Douglas acknowledged that delivery delays pose an ongoing risk, he emphasized the airline’s ambition to serve 100 destinations within five years. To keep stakeholders informed, Riyadh Air plans to unveil its booking platform between October 28-30, which will utilize biometric technology for passenger interactions, including flight reservations and loyalty program memberships. Douglas likened the innovative platform to Amazon, positioning Riyadh Air as a “digitally-led business that enables travel.”
However, integrating with partners such as Delta Air Lines, Singapore Airlines, and Turkish Airlines has presented challenges. “A lot of the work we’ve been doing is like ‘Google Translate’ to other systems,” he explained.
Riyadh Air currently has no plans to join a global airline alliance but recognizes the importance of partnerships. Douglas is actively seeking one additional partner in Western Europe and another on the Indian subcontinent, stating, “After that, I would say we’re pretty much done.”
The airline’s initial network plans are anticipated to be released in early 2025, with Douglas hinting that the major connecting cities will not come as a surprise. “We’ll probably be releasing where those first major connecting cities will be,” he said, building anticipation for the startup’s future operational landscape.
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