JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Air has signed a deal to acquire up to 50 Airbus A350-1000 aircraft as it gears up to launch operations later this year.
The agreement, signed at the 55th Paris Air Show, includes 25 firm orders and purchase rights for an additional 25 aircraft. The deal supports Riyadh Air’s plan to build a wide-body fleet capable of serving over 100 destinations globally by 2030.
Owned by the Public Investment Fund, Riyadh Air was unveiled in March 2023 by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as part of Saudi Arabia’s strategy to become a global aviation hub by expanding connectivity to over 250 destinations and tripling annual passenger traffic to 330 million.
In a statement, Yasir Al-Rumayyan, PIF governor and chairman of Riyadh Air, said: “Our new national carrier is set to take to the skies in the near future, and as a fundamental element of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s infrastructure, will connect our capital city to over 100 international destinations around the globe by 2030.
He added: “With its outstanding range, adding the Airbus A350-1000 to our fleet demonstrates the strategic contribution of Riyadh Air in positioning Saudi Arabia as a global aviation hub.”
