Saudi start-up Riyadh Air will commence flights on 26 October using its “technical spare” Boeing 787-9 twinjet for daily services to London Heathrow, although tickets will not be on general sale for now.
Riyadh Air says the flights will “initially be on sale to select groups and [airline] employees” and will help the carrier achieve “unparalleled operational readiness” ahead of receiving its first 787-9 deliveries from Boeing.
The airline’s first 787-9 proper left Boeing’s assembly line in Charleston in August, but it has not specified when delivery will occur, nor when tickets for its services will go on public sale.
Riyadh Air chief executive Tony Douglas says the announcement fulfils the operator’s “commitment to begin operations in 2025”.
Riyadh Air plans to add flights to Dubai “soon after” the London launch and says it will announce new routes for winter 2025 and summer 2026 in the coming weeks.
Douglas previously indicated that once Riyadh Air receives its first 787-9 from Boeing, it will deploy the “technical spare” – leased from Oman Air and powered by GE Aerospace GEnx engines – on the Dubai route.
Nationally backed Riyadh Air is to take up to 72 787-9s, holding firm orders for 39 Dreamliners and options for a further 33 of Boeing’s flagship widebody jet. It also has orders for up to 50 Airbus A350-1000s.
In addition to the mix of Airbus and Boeing widebodies, Riyadh plans to operate Airbus A320neo-family narrowbody jets.
The airline has also launched its Sfeer loyalty programme.
