Buying planes means hiring a crew! Riyadh Air poised to place order for 100 Boeing 737 MAX

Buying planes means hiring a crew! Riyadh Air, the upcoming Saudi airline set to commence operations in 2025, is expected to announce a significant order for 100 Boeing 737 MAX single-aisle aircraft during this week's Dubai Air Show, according to Bloomberg.

The agreement includes 50 firm orders and an additional 50 options, although Bloomberg did not specify which models from the 737 MAX family the Saudi airline intends to select.

Tony Douglas, former CEO of Etihad Airways, was appointed in March to lead Riyadh Air, which is owned by the Saudi Public Investment Fund. Last week, he mentioned that the airline would be placing a substantial order for narrow-body aircraft in the coming weeks. While not disclosing the exact number of aircraft, he characterized the order as substantial, emphasizing that the deal would send a very clear signal of intent. He added, "This marks the largest startup initiative since Qatar Airways."

In March, Riyadh Air had already announced an order for up to 72 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner wide-body aircraft, comprising 39 firm orders and an option to acquire an additional 33 planes.

The establishment of a second Saudi national airline alongside the national carrier Saudia is part of Saudi Arabia's economic diversification plan as an oil-producing nation. Tony Douglas explained, 'We are not well-connected enough. It's as simple as that.' He highlighted that the new airline would benefit from the rapid growth of the Saudi economy and a plan to attract more tourists to the kingdom.

Source : https://www.air-journal.fr/2023-11-13-riyadh-air-sapprete-a-commander-de-100-boeing-737-max-5252320.html