Saudi Arabia is getting a new airline. Take a look at Riyadh Air's Boeing 787 cabin designs.
Riyadh Air has unveiled its interior cabins, including a luxurious "Business Elite" tier.
Saudi Arabia's startup airline, set to launch in the last three months of this year, hopes to connect the kingdom to some 100 destinations within five years. Attracting more tourists is part of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 plan to diversify its economy.
Backed by the Public Investment Fund, Riyadh Air has already ordered dozens of Airbus A321neos and up to 72 Boeing 787 Dreamliners.
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The cabin reveal follows that of its cabin crew uniform, which debuted at Haute Couture Week in Paris last year.
"The brief on the fashion was I want TWA, I want Pan Am, I want [Leonardo] DiCaprio in 'Catch Me If You Can' with a modern twist to bring that sophistication, that glamour back into it," CEO Tony Douglas told Business Insider in an interview.
"And of course, the cabin reveal is what connects all that together in terms of guest experience," he added.
The Dreamliners will accommodate 290 passengers. Its cabins have a color palette focused on purple tones, like one of its two plane liveries. There are also "Mocha Gold" accents in premium classes.
The front row of the 787 is set to have four Business Elite suites that include a 32-inch TV, which the airline says are the largest of any business class.
In the center, the privacy divider can be removed to create a double bed.
The bespoke Safran Unity seats in business class also make use of the French manufacturer's partnership with Devialet, an audio company. Its Euphony system means passengers don't need headphones to listen to in-flight entertainment, thanks to smart speakers in the headrests.
Japan Airlines was the first to adopt this technology in 2023.
Riyadh Air's business-class seats lie fully flat, measuring 6 feet 6 inches long and 22.5 inches wide. Each suite also has a sliding door for privacy.
The business class TV is 22 inches, but as in all cabins, it is also a 4K OLED monitor. Passengers have access to power outlets and two USB-C and one USB-A charging point.
Riyadh Air's premium economy cabin is arranged in a 2-3-2 layout.
The seat pitch — or distance between the same spot on one seat and the one in front — is 38 inches, plus a width of 19.2 inches. There's also a calf rest, four USB-C charging points, and a 15.6-inch TV.
Douglas said the premium economy seats use the same Recaro PL3530 model as Emirates.
"They're widely acclaimed, and I would certainly agree as their product is fantastic, but what we've tried to do here again is elevate it through design," he told BI.
Like in business class, the side table is a dark marble with gold veins.
The economy cabin is nine-abreast with a seat width of 17.2 inches and decent legroom at a 31-inch pitch.
Headrests are adjustable in six directions, and each passenger has two USB-C charging points. The 4K TVs measure 13.4 inches.
Douglas told BI that Riyadh Air's Airbus A321neos will also use the same Recaro R3 seats.
"If you buy a ticket with Riyadh Air going forward, it won't be the lottery that it is with some legacy airlines that have got not just different aircraft types, but different generations of cabins, so you're never quite sure which one that ticket equates to," he said.
While the Boeing 787s won't have a first-class cabin, Douglas wants to include the elite tier on future aircraft.
He told BI the airline is in talks for a third aircraft type, an extra-wide body like an Airbus A350 or Boeing 777X.
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