Riyadh Air, the new premium international airline based in Saudi Arabia, has placed a firm order for 60 A321neo Family aircraft. The agreement was signed at the Future Investment Initiative (FII) in Riyadh, marking a significant milestone for Riyadh Air. The signing ceremony was attended by His Excellency Yasir Al-Rumayyan Governor of the Public Investment Fund (PIF) and Chairman of Riyadh Air, Tony Douglas, CEO of Riyadh Air, Christian Scherer, Chief Executive Officer, Commercial Aircraft at Airbus and Benoit de Saint-Exupery, Executive Vice President Sales of the Commercial Aircraft business.
“This investment will not only enable us to support economic growth in the aviation industry, it will ensure Riyadh Air operates one of the most fuel efficient fleets. It’ll be instrumental in helping Saudi Arabia achieve its decarbonisation goals,” said Riyadh Air CEO Tony Douglas. “This deal strongly reinforces the positive economic impact of Saudi Arabia’s newest airline on both a global and local scale to facilitate the fast-growing Saudi aviation ecosystem.”
Christian Scherer, CEO of Commercial Aircraft at Airbus said: “We are proud to welcome Riyadh Air as a new Airbus customer and partner. The latest generation A321neo aircraft will bring exceptional efficiency to the airline’s operations, concrete contributions to its decarbonisation goals and comfort to its passengers. We look forward to working together to support the strong ambitions of Saudi aviation.”
Riyadh Air aims to be a leading airline and will equip its fleet with the latest and most advanced digital features, providing an innovative guest experience that is the best in class in terms of aircraft cabin interior design, in addition to the latest generation of entertainment and connectivity systems on board.
The establishment of Riyadh Air aligns with PIF’s strategy to unlock promising sectors locally to support economic diversification. The airline will provide tourists from around the world the opportunity to visit Saudi Arabia’s cultural and natural attractions and further establish Riyadh as a preeminent business hub of the world. Riyadh Air will also serve as a catalyst for the Saudi National Transport and Logistics Strategy and the National Tourism Strategy by increasing air transport options, raising cargo capacity, and, in turn, growing international passenger traffic.
The A321neo is the largest member of Airbus’ best-selling A320neo Family, offering unparalleled range and performance. By incorporating new generation engines and Sharklets, the A321neo brings a 50% noise reduction and more than 20% fuel savings and CO₂ reduction compared to previous generation single-aisle aircraft, while maximising passenger comfort in the widest single-aisle cabin in the sky.
To date more than 6,700 A321neo have been ordered by more than 90 customers across the globe.
