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Saudi Arabia’s newest airline begins test flights

Saudi Arabia’s newest airline begins test flights

Commercial flights to start in 2025

Saudi Arabia’s newest carrier Riyadh Air has achieved another milestone on its flight path to acquiring an Air Operators Certificate (AOC).

The airline commenced its first non-commercial flight last week, flying from Riyadh to Jeddah as part of the airline’s programme of test flights.

Once it gets its AOC, which is awarded by the Kingdom’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), Riyadh Air will be permitted to start commercial passenger and cargo services using its planned fleet of Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners.   

A subsidiary of the country’s Public Investment Fund and a sister airline to the established national carrier, Saudia, Riyadh Air is planning to launch regular services from 2025. 

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Launched by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in March 2023, the carrier will support the kingdom’s ambition to become a global aviation powerhouse and help meet the rise in demand for air travel both to and within Saudi Arabia.

In the coming months, the carrier is planning to operate several more domestic and international flights as part of the certification process. 

Although no further details have been revealed by the carrier about potential future routes, these will likely be medium and long-haul destinations not serviced by Saudia, given the choice of aircraft selected by Riyadh Air. 

The carrier currently has 39 787-9 Dreamliners on order with options for an additional 33 of the type.   

For more information, visit www.riyadhair.com



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