Strengthening the operations of Riyadh Air is crucial for Saudi Arabia as the Kingdom is evolving itself as a global tourism destination New order will also support the airline’s long-term goal of creating 200,000 jobs and delivering enhanced connectivity RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Air, a subsidiary of the Public Investment Fund, has signed an agreement to purchase 60 Airbus A321neo single-aisle aircraft, as it plans to commence its operations in 2025. According to a press statement, the deal was signed by Tony Douglas, CEO of Riyadh Air, and Christian Scherer, CEO of Commercial Aircraft of Airbus, at the 8th Future Investment Initiative in the Kingdom’s capital city. Strengthening the operations of Riyadh Air is crucial for Saudi Arabia as the Kingdom is evolving as a global tourism destination, aligned with the economic diversification goals outlined in the Vision 2030 program. In September, the airline launched its first non-commercial flight from Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport as part of the certification process. Last year, the airlines had ordered 39 Boeing 787 Dreamliners with options for 33 more, thus bringing the estimated fleet capacity to 132. “We are pleased to embark on another key milestone in Riyadh Air’s journey with the carrier’s second major fleet order, this time in partnership with Airbus,” said Yasir Al-Rumayyan, governor of PIF and chairman of Riyadh Air. He added: “This deal underlines the airline’s ambitious intentions in advance of next year’s launch as it builds a comprehensive international network and establishes Riyadh as a major strategic global aviation hub.” The Airbus A321neo airliner is widely considered the most sustainable and efficient aircraft in the aviation industry, and it is expected to fulfill Riyadh Air’s ambition to cover 100 destinations worldwide by the end of this decade, the press statement said. Riyadh Air added that the new order will also support the airline’s long-term goal of creating 200,000 jobs and delivering enhanced connectivity to Riyadh to the world. “This order will not only enable us to support economic growth in the aviation industry, it will also ensure Riyadh Air operates one of the most sustainable fleets in the industry and be instrumental in helping Saudi Arabia achieve its net-zero emissions goals,” said the CEO of Riyadh Air. Douglas added: “This deal strongly reinforces the positive economic impact of Saudi Arabia’s newest airline on both a global and local scale and helps facilitate the fast-growing local aviation ecosystem.” The chief of Commercial Aircraft at Airbus said that the latest generation A321neo aircraft will bring exceptional efficiency to Riyadh Air’s operations and comfort to its passengers. “We look forward to working together to support the incredible growth of Saudi aviation,” added Scherer.