Riyadh Air gets closer to commercial flights after securing Air Operator's Certificate
Riyadh Air, the new national airline of Saudi Arabia, has received the green light to start operations from the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA).
The airline was officially granted an Air Operator's Certificate (AOC) on Monday, authorising it to start commercial flight operations. The AOC confirms Riyadh Air's full compliance with Saudi Arabia's aviation regulations, international standards, and flight safety requirements under the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation.
Riyadh Air did not disclose when it would start ticket booking and any date for its inaugural flight.
Riyadh Air flight plans
The airline is projected to fly to more than 100 destinations by 2030, supported by an order of over 132 aircraft. At the time of launch, Riyadh Air was projected to add $20 billion to non-oil GDP growth, and create more than 200,000 direct and indirect jobs.
Before making the decision, GACA completed a comprehensive audit of the airline's technical and aircraft systems, operational readiness, equipment, and the qualifications of both flight and ground personnel.
The process, from submission of the formal application to on-site inspections and final approvals, took over 11 months. This included over 200 hours of test flights to ensure full compliance with the highest operational standards.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Prime Minister and Chairman of the Public Investment Fund (PIF), had announced Riyadh Air on 12 March 2023. His vision is to leverage Saudi Arabia's strategic geographic location between the continents of Asia, Africa and Europe, and establish Riyadh as a gateway to the world.
HRH Crown Prince announces #RiyadhAir, a new national carrier to further expand the Saudi aviation ecosystem locally and globally.
https://t.co/emlrIvbU8k pic.twitter.com/xvldmqW6GN
— Public Investment Fund (@PIF_en) March 12, 2023
Abdulaziz Al-Duailej, President of GACA, commented: 'GACA's issuance of the Air Operator Certificate to Riyadh Air marks a significant milestone within the framework of the Saudi Aviation Strategy. Riyadh Air will enhance competition, offer greater value and choices for travelers, and improve connectivity both domestically and globally.'
Tony Douglas, CEO, Riyadh Air, added: 'Obtaining the Air Operator Certificate is an important milestone in the company's journey. It is the result of the efforts of many employees at Riyadh Air. Today, we can proudly say that Riyadh Air is now an airline with an operational license to transport our traveling guests, and we are ready to begin operations later in 2025.'
In 2024, the number of passengers in Saudi Arabia rose by 15 per cent to exceed 128 million – approximately 25 per cent above pre-pandemic levels. The number of flights increased by 11 per cent to reach over 905,000, while air connectivity grew by 16 per cent and the Kingdom is now linked to more than 170 destinations around the world.
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