SAUDI ARABIA LAUNCHES NEW RIYADH AIR CARRIER

SAUDI ARABIA has launched a new carrier, Riyadh Air, wholly owned by the Public Investment Fund which is the kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund. The airline will operate with Riyadh as its hub and is expected to add US$20 billion to the country’s non-oil GDP growth, and create more than 200,000 jobs. Riyadh Air is chaired by Yasir Al Rumayyan, governor of PIF, while former Etihad CEO Tony Douglas is the CEO of the new carrier. The airline reportedly aims to connect to over 100 destinations globally by 2030.

Saudia, Riyadh Air to order up to 121 Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft

SAUDI ARABIAN AIRLINES (SAUDIA), the national ag carrier of Saudi Arabia, has ordered 39 Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircra , with an option for another 10. e agreement will include both 787-9 and 78710 models. Saudia currently operates more than 50 Boeing aeroplanes on its long-haul network, including the 777-300ER, 787-9 and 787-10 Dreamliner. Riyadh Air also said that it had reached an agreement with Boeing to purchase 39 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircra , with an option to purchase another 33 of the same aeroplane. In total, the two Saudi Arabian carriers therefore announced an intent to purchase up to 121 787 Dreamliners in what Boeing says will be the h-largest commercial order by value in the manufacturer’s history.