Saudi Arabia launches Riyadh Air despite regional turmoil - VIDEO
Saudi Arabia has officially launched its second national carrier, Riyadh Air, after more than a year of delays, moving ahead despite economic uncertainty caused by the US-Israel war on Iran and intense competition from established Gulf airlines, News.Az reports, citing Al Jazeera.
A London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner in Riyadh Air’s white-and-lavender livery took off from Riyadh at 2:30 a.m. (23:30 GMT Tuesday), marking the start of a flagship project aimed at reducing Saudi Arabia’s economic dependence on oil.
Riyadh Air has officially launched its first commercial passenger flights after accelerating the delivery of its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners.
Just days after receiving its third Dreamliner, the new Saudi Arabian carrier brought forward its inaugural service from July 1 to June 10,… pic.twitter.com/f7MQFQdaAP
Riyadh Air, the country’s second state-owned airline after Saudia, is expected to help transform the Saudi capital into a global aviation hub capable of competing with Dubai, currently the world’s busiest city for international passenger traffic.
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The airline’s launch was originally planned for 2025 but was postponed because of aircraft delivery delays from Boeing, which has faced a series of manufacturing and safety challenges in recent years.
The debut also comes amid heightened regional tensions following unprecedented Iranian attacks involving thousands of drones and missiles targeting Gulf infrastructure, including airports, adding to economic uncertainty across the region.
By Nijat Babayev
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