Riyadh Air is preparing for the arrival of its first 787-9 Dreamliner, the company said on January 9, 2025. The leased aircraft will be used as a technical spare and for training purposes. The aircraft, painted in the company's livery, will be at the airline's home airport at Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport.
The technical spare will not feature Riyadh Air's soon-to-be revealed cabin interiors, though the startup airline said it will have “a high-specification interior”.
The aircraft is separate from the original order of 72 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft. Instead, it will be used initially as part of it obtaining its air operator certificate (AOC) with the General Authority of Civil Aviation to allow operations to commence, before operating as a technical spare.
Riyadh Air is expected to begin operations this year.