Upcoming Saudi Arabian carrier Riyadh Air has ordered 25 A350-1000 wide-body aircraft from Airbus for worth more than $9 billion. The deal could potentially increase to 50 A350-1000s.
Riyadh Air, the new national carrier of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, today announced an order for up to 50 Airbus A350-1000 aircraft at the 55th Edition of Paris Airshow. The agreement includes 25 firm orders with purchase rights for an additional 25 aircraft.
Saudi Arabia's new national carrier "has placed a firm order for 25 A350-1000 aircraft. The agreement can potentially increase to 50 A350-1000s ," Airbus said in a statement released on the first day of the Paris Air Show.
The deal was agreed with a signing ceremony at Paris Le Bourget today, by Riyadh Air Chief Financial Officer Adam Boukadida and Airbus EVP Sales of Commercial Aircraft Business, Benoît de Saint-Exupéry in the presence of PIF Governor and Riyadh Air Chairman His Excellency Yasir Al-Rumayyan, CEO of Riyadh Air Tony Douglas and CEO of Airbus Commercial Aircraft, Christian Scherer.
Riyadh Air will become the first airline in Saudi Arabia to operate the A350-1000. It also supports Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 ambition to reach 300 million air passengers annually by the end of the decade, positioning the country as a global aviation and tourism hub.
Riyadh Air press release read as,
The A350-1000 aircraft has an operational range of more than 16,000 kms, allowing Riyadh Air’s network to reach the farthest corners of the globe and bringing major cities within reach. The airline expects to serve over 100 destinations around the globe by 2030, ensuring Riyadh, a G20 capital city, develops strong connectivity to the world in advance of major events such as Riyadh Expo 2030 and FIFA World Cup 2034TM.
Riyadh Air has chosen the Airbus A350-1000 to further optimize its fleet, capacity and operations, while minimizing the number of aircraft types in the fleet. With this new order of up to 50 planes, the start-up airline now has up to 182 aircraft on order and will operate a three-type fleet with flights set to commence later in 2025.
His Excellency 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. 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.
With a large seat capacity, the airline intends to offer guests a stylish and exclusive First-Class cabin on the Airbus A350 aircraft to complement its recently revealed Business Class and cabin interior, raising the bar to deliver an exceptional and innovative guest experience.
Also in October last year, meant for the regional connectivity, Riyadh Air, the ambitious premium international carrier in making, unveiled the new fleet structure and placed a firm order for 60 A321neo Family aircraft.
“This order marks a significant step forward in building a world-class airline that reflects the ambitions of Vision 2030. The A350-1000 will bring outstanding efficiency and comfort to our fleet, supporting our sustainability goals and enabling Riyadh Air to offer a premium experience while connecting Saudi Arabia to the world,” said Adam Boukadida, Chief Financial Officer of Riyadh Air
”It’s a clear signal of our intent to shape the future of air travel and contribute meaningfully to the Kingdom’s fast-growing aviation ecosystem.”
“We are proud to extend our strategic partnership with Riyadh Air as it continues to build a pioneering carrier for the Kingdom. As the long-range leader, the A350-1000 will provide unrivalled efficiency, range and passenger comfort, making it the ideal choice to support the airline’s ambitious growth plans and Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 objectives to enhance global connectivity and economic diversification”, said Benoît de Saint-Exupéry, Airbus EVP Sales of the Commercial Aircraft business.
On 14 June 2023 , Riyadh Air, launched by the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), had announced an order of up to 72 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner airplanes in a multi-billion dollar deal.
As announced by Saudi Arabia, creation of this new national company, Riyadh Air - formerly known as RIA (Riyadh International Airlines), will cover more than 100 destinations by 2030.
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