Riyadh Air era begins: first flight takes off...but it's a Boeing 787-9 in Saudia livery and without passengers

The Riyadh Air era began on Thursday, September 12., when the RX5001 flight (which was one of the most 'followed' of the day on FlightRadar24) took off from the airport in the Saudi capital Riyadh bound for Jeddah.

The Boeing 787-9 that covered the route in 1 hour and 16 minutes and then returned to Riyadh a few hours later, however, it was not one of the beautiful aircraft with livery in shades of dark blue that the Saudi Arabian company has been showing off at a number of air shows around the world, but an airplane from Saudia.

The two flights were operated without passengers, because these were not commercial flights, but theBeginning of that path of testing and training that will lead Riyadh Air to obtain the Air Operator Certificate (AOC), the air operator's certificate that is issued to every airline by the civil aviation authority, in this case the Saudi Arabian one called General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA).

Riyadh Air is scheduled to make its commercial debut (i.e., with paying passengers on board) at an as-yet undisclosed date in 2025, probably in June. The Saudi company, which has set itself the ambitious goal of having A fleet of 200 aircraft and to serve 100 destinations by 2030 (i.e., five years after its debut) had Ordered in March 2023 72 Boeing 787-9s (of which 39 purchased and 33 optioned).

The order for wide-body, long-range aircraft had been followed last May by an order for an unspecified number of single-aisle airplanes intended for short- and medium-haul routes.

However, the company, through its CEO Tony Douglas, had reserved the right to reveal only later (and still has not) the exact number of aircraft ordered, and whether they are Boeing or Airbus products, or both. And the network.

Nothing is known, as yet, even with regard to the interior layout of the Boeing 787-9: whether they will have two or three classes (Because the first will not be there) and what kind of seats and equipment they will mount. Certainly, these details and the company's debut will be among the key news of 2025 for the commercial aviation world.

What is known is that the company Is hiring pilots and flight attendants (in addition, of course, to ground personnel and technicians), of whom recently unveiled the uniforms.

And that has already established partnerships (codeshare and interline) with several airlines and sports sponsorships, the best known of which is with Atletico Madrid, which has already carried the words 'Riyadh Air' on its jersey since last year.