The newly established Saudi Arabian flag-carrier, Riyadh Air, intends to create a "virtual network" in collaboration with partner airlines during its initial phases of development. The airline, set to commence services in early 2025, has garnered substantial interest from international carriers worldwide, as stated by Chief Commercial Officer Vincent Coste on November 6 at the World Travel Market exhibition in London.
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GLOThe newly established Saudi Arabian flag-carrier, Riyadh Air, intends to create a “virtual network” in collaboration with partner airlines during its initial phases of development. The airline, set to commence services in early 2025, has garnered substantial interest from international carriers worldwide, as stated by Chief Commercial Officer Vincent Coste on November 6 at the World Travel Market exhibition in London.
Coste explained that as Riyadh Air expands its operations, strong partnerships with significant carriers from Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and the Americas will be essential to establish a “virtual network.” This network will enable Riyadh Air to serve destinations through codeshares without physically flying to those locations, at least initially.
While Riyadh Air aims to have a global network encompassing 100 destinations by the end of the decade, it will not operate direct international flights from other cities in Saudi Arabia; these will be served through connections in Riyadh. This regional connectivity will require a narrowbody fleet. Coste stated that Riyadh Air is close to making an announcement regarding whether they will place an order with Boeing or Airbus, and this announcement will be made in the coming weeks.
While some Saudi Arabian aviation officials have suggested that a narrowbody order might be followed by an order for cargo aircraft, Coste indicated that a decision on acquiring dedicated freighters has not been finalized. Riyadh Air has 72 Boeing 787s on order or option, each with over 20 tons of underfloor cargo capacity. With these aircraft operating multiple rotations daily, there is significant potential for cargo operations. However, the decision to acquire dedicated freighters is still under consideration. Riyadh Air is evaluating the market and exploring opportunities for cargo capacity, particularly to and from Riyadh, as there is currently a shortage of cargo capacity in the kingdom.
Spurce: WTM / Riyadh Air
