RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Air expanded its widebody fleet plans by confirming orders for 34 additional Boeing and Airbus aircraft, reinforcing the state-backed carrier’s international growth strategy.
The Public Investment Fund-owned airline exercised options for 28 additional Boeing 787 Dreamliners, increasing its firm order for the type to 67 aircraft.
The agreement, announced at the Farnborough International Airshow, also includes the conversion of 20 aircraft to the larger 787-10 variant and a previously undisclosed purchase of 11 Dreamliners, according to a release.
Separately, Riyadh Air confirmed an order for six additional Airbus A350-1000 aircraft, increasing its total firm commitment for the type to 31 aircraft. The agreement forms part of the airline’s original commitment for up to 50 A350-1000s announced in 2025.
The orders align with the Kingdom’s National Aviation Strategy, which aims to triple annual passenger traffic to 330 million, increase air cargo capacity to 4.5 million tons, and expand connectivity to more than 250 destinations by 2030. The strategy is designed to position the Kingdom as a global aviation hub linking Asia, Europe and Africa.
