Riyadh Air 2025 Launch

Riyadh Air, Saudi Arabia's new national airline, made significant strides in May 2025 as it gears up for its commercial launch later this year. The airline, backed by the Public Investment Fund, faced a setback with the departure of Chief Operations Officer Peter Bellew, who left after nearly three years due to supply chain delays, particularly with Boeing, pushing the launch to late 2025. Despite this, Riyadh Air placed a major order for 60 Airbus A321neo jets last autumn and is reportedly in talks for 50 Airbus A350-1000s, expected to be confirmed at the Paris Air Show in June 2025, solidifying its fleet expansion and preference for Airbus over Boeing's delayed 777X. The A350s will serve as the carrier's flagship, featuring first-class cabins, aligning with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 to boost tourism and connectivity.

Strategically, Riyadh Air signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Air France-KLM at the IATA 2025 meeting in Delhi, enhancing connectivity between Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport and European hubs in Paris and Amsterdam. This partnership includes codeshare agreements, frequent flyer benefits, and route development, supporting Middle East-Europe travel demand. Additionally, supply chain issues at Boeing prompted CEO Tony Douglas to express interest in acquiring Boeing aircraft not taken by Chinese carriers due to U.S. trade disputes.Riyadh Air's branding gained visibility with an A321XLR showcased in its pearl livery at the Paris Air Show, a promotional move with Airbus to build anticipation for 2026 deliveries. These developments underscore Riyadh Air's ambition to rival Gulf carriers, despite challenges like executive turnover and delayed launches, as it positions itself as Saudi Arabia's second flag carrier alongside Saudia