Startup Saudi airline Riyadh Air will receive its air operator certificate (AOC) “imminently” from the Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), a spokesperson confirmed to Airline Economics on February 25, 2025.
However, the company's CEO Tony Douglas said in an interview with Al Arabiya News earlier on the same day, during the FII PRIORITY Miami 2025 Summit, that the company had received its AOC.
“We finished our certification flying now and we've just received our AOC,” Douglas said in the interview. “So there you have it. Riyadh Air is very real.”
The announcement follows the airline pushing back its launch date from mid-2025 to the third quarter due to delivery delays of its first 787-9 Dreamliner delivery. A spokesperson confirmed it remained on track for a 2025 launch.
In addition, the spokesperson had also confirmed that the airline launched a widebody request for proposal (RFP) in the market, which is ontrack to begin this year. Reports suggest Riyadh Air is looking to order 50 widebodies. At an Aviation Club luncheon in November 2024, Douglas said the airline was considering either A350-1000s or 777X jets.
The airline received its technical spare 787 Dreamliner last month.
Riyadh Air also signed an agreement with IBM on February 25, 2025. The airline will integrate watsonx, IBM's portfolio of AI products, and IBM Consulting AI solutions to establish an enterprise-wide AI capability to support guests and employees.
“As we move closer to our first flight later in 2025, our vision is to deliver a seamless, world-class travel experience by expanding our reach, pioneering innovations, and redefining industry standards,” said Riyadh Air CFO Adam Boukadida. “By deepening our collaboration with IBM, we are harnessing the power of AI, from intelligent customer interactions to optimised flight operations, to set a new benchmark for the future of aviation.”
IBM will be responsible for the installation and deployment of its AI portfolio.