Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Air takes its first flight over Kingdom’s iconic skyline

Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Air took its first flight on Monday over the Kingdom’s capital, passing over prominent landmarks in Riyadh such as the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD), the Boulevard and over towers located in the city center.

Residents of Riyadh were able to see the new aircraft decorate the capital’s sky in shades of lavender.

The carrier pays homage to Saudi Arabia through the plane’s indigo colors which reflect on the lavender color that paints the land of the Kingdom’s deserts and plateaus in the spring. The aircraft’s design incorporates the comprehensive curves of the Arabic text.

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The plane will soon be transferred to Paris to take part in the 54th Paris Air show, starting on Monday, June 19, 2023.

Riyadh Air was announced in March by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The airline is expected to add $20 billion to non-oil GDP growth, create more than 200,000 direct and indirect jobs and unleash the potential of promising sectors to support diversification of the economy.

The company is owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) and headed by CEO Tony Douglas, who was previously chief executive of Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways.

Residents of Riyadh were able to see the new aircraft decorate the capital’s sky in shades of lavender on Monday, June 12, 2023.

The airline said that it will start operating flights in 2025 where it is expected to eventually connect 100 destinations around the world given the Kingdom’s distinct location that connects Asia, Africa and Europe, with more than 60 percent of the world’s population within eight hours of flight.

The airline aims to make the city of Riyadh a gateway to the world, and a global destination for transport, trade, and tourism.

With its slogan “The future begins here,” Riyadh Air will contribute to providing a new level of experience for guests through latest technologies that will redefine the future of aviation and travel.

Riyadh Airlines and King Salman International Airport, the latest investments of the Public Investment Fund in the aviation sector, aim to raise the financial sustainability of the aviation sector and enhance its global competitiveness to achieve the goals of Saudi Vision 2030.

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