Latest news with #TonyDouglas
Business Insider
13 hours ago
- Business
- Business Insider
Why Airbus's huge deal with Saudi Arabia's new airline is a major win for the A350
Airbus's enormous A350-1000 plane has attracted a lot of attention at this week's Paris Air Show. The star passenger jet of the flying display, many people stopped in their tracks to watch it twist and turn above Le Bourget Airport, while a Johann Strauss waltz played over the show's loudspeakers. But for Airbus, the real victory was Monday's order from Riyadh Air. Saudi Arabia's ambitious new airline ordered 25 A350-1000 s, with options for up to 25 more. The prices weren't disclosed, but according to Ishka, an aviation data and advisory firm, one of these planes delivered this year would be worth around $172 million. That would make the deal worth over $4 billion, although planemakers typically give discounts for big deals with airlines. These enormous jets will play a vital role as Riyadh Air seeks to help turn the Saudi capital into a top tourist destination — a key part of the kingdom's Vision 2030 plan to diversify its economy. Riyadh Air, set to start flying later this year, is expected to operate a hub-and-spoke route model — connecting destinations around the world via its home base. This requires owning large-capacity planes for the most popular routes. Emirates operates similarly, hence its big bet on the double-decker Airbus A380. Riyadh Air kicked off its program with an order for up to 72 Boeing 787 jets, but tapped Airbus for its first narrow-body order of 60 A321neos. Riyadh Air CEO Tony Douglas previously told Business Insider its extra-wide-body planes would "almost certainly" include a first-class cabin, unlike the 787s. The A350-1000 can carry up to 410 passengers in a typical three-class layout and has a range of over 9,000 miles. It competes with Boeing's 777X, which has a wider fuselage and more modern technologies, but has been hampered by delays. While Boeing showed the plane at the last Paris Air Show in 2023, it wasn't displayed at Farnborough last year during the planemaker's safety crisis, nor this year due to ongoing flight tests. It was initially supposed to launch in 2020, but has since been postponed until 2026 as it awaits certification. However, the A350-1000 has also faced some challenges. It has a checkered history with Middle Eastern carriers, primarily due to issues from the hot and sandy climate in the region. This made headlines at the 2023 Dubai Air Show after Emirates boss Tim Clark slammed the plane's Rolls-Royce engines. In harsher environments, the engines require more frequent maintenance. Emirates instead placed a smaller order for the A350-900, which uses a different type of Rolls-Royce engine. Meanwhile, it is Boeing's biggest customer for the 777X, responsible for nearly half its 551 orders. Rolls-Royce has invested over $1 billion to improve the durability of its Trent engine family, which its president of civil aerospace referenced in its Riyadh Air announcement. Qatar Airways has also been unhappy with the A350 in the past, temporarily grounding its fleet. The type's launch customer sued Airbus in 2021, alleging that safety was compromised because cracked paint exposed the copper mesh, which protects the plane from lightning strikes. Airbus said the problem was only cosmetic and filed a countersuit before the dispute was settled in 2023. Now with a sizable order from Riyadh Air, it's clear the A350's reputation is improving with a new lease of life.
Arab News
2 days ago
- Business
- Arab News
Riyadh Air to launch new destination every 2 months as 787 deliveries near
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia's Riyadh Air is gearing up to introduce a new international destination every two months once it begins operations, as the carrier prepares to receive its first Boeing 787 aircraft. Riyadh Air, fully owned by the Public Investment Fund, is awaiting delivery of its initial aircraft to commence services, according to CEO Tony Douglas. Speaking to Bloomberg, he said the airline requires two jets to initiate a round-trip route to each new destination. Douglas added that Riyadh Air aims to connect to 100 cities by 2030 as part of its long-term growth strategy. This aligns with the Saudi Aviation Strategy, which targets doubling passenger capacity to 330 million annually from over 250 global destinations and increasing cargo handling to 4.5 million tons by 2030. The carrier currently has four Boeing 787 Dreamliners in different stages of assembly at Boeing's facility in Charleston, South Carolina. Operations are expected to begin once the first two aircraft have been delivered. Riyadh Air had initially planned to launch services in early 2025, but delays in aircraft handovers from Boeing have pushed back the timeline. 'The fact that these are in production probably brings my blood pressure down,' Douglas said. 'I will actually not believe they've been delivered until the day after they've been delivered.' Douglas also confirmed that Riyadh Air has secured the necessary landing slots for its first destinations, though he did not disclose which cities they are. At the Paris Air Show this week, the airline announced an order for up to 50 Airbus A350 long-range jets, with deliveries expected to begin in 2030. Riyadh Air has also placed orders for 60 Airbus A321neo narrowbody aircraft and as many as 72 Boeing 787s, including options. Commenting on the Airbus order, Douglas said the decision was based on the aircraft's capabilities and favorable commercial terms when compared with Boeing's 777X model. 'It was a very close call,' he noted, as reported by Bloomberg. The airline's growth strategy reflects the Kingdom's ambition to transform Riyadh into a global travel hub and position Saudi Arabia as a major player in international aviation. Riyadh Air aims to contribute to the broader Vision 2030 goals by enhancing connectivity and promoting tourism across the Kingdom.
Arabian Business
3 days ago
- Business
- Arabian Business
Riyadh Air announces Blacklane chauffer service for passengers in Saudi Arabia
Riyadh Air has announced it will offer Blacklane chauffeur service to premium-class passengers in Saudi Arabia. The announcement of the collaboration between the new Saudi airline and the luxury chauffeur service came during the 2025 Paris Airshow. Through this partnership guests travelling internationally in Riyadh Air Business Elite or Business Class, plus eligible loyalty members will enjoy complimentary luxury chauffeur services with Blacklane within 50km radius of Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport. Riyadh Air Blacklane chauffeur service The collaboration represents a significant step in Riyadh Air's plan to deliver best-in-class services throughout the customer journey experience and brings together two companies committed to exceptional service. Integrated directly into Riyadh Air's booking platform, guests will be able to arrange their Blacklane chauffeur as part of their travel experience where eligible. Guests also have the ability to enjoy seamless journeys, including airport transfers, city-to-city travel, in-city rides and chauffeurs by the hour in Riyadh and at any of the airline's global destinations. Tony Douglas, CEO of Riyadh Air, said: 'Our partnership with Blacklane reinforces our ethos of ensuring our customers experience Saudi hospitality with world-class service standards. We revealed our stylish new Business Elite and Business Class seats recently, and this is the next step in keeping our promises to deliver an exceptional premium experience to our guests. 'Riyadh Air and Blacklane are two outstanding brands with hospitality and an attention to detail at heart, and our relationship will offer our guests a truly elevated travel itinerary, from the first mile to the last.' Dr. Jens Wohltorf, CEO and Co-Founder of Blacklane, said: 'This partnership is more than a service—it's a promise. Together, Riyadh Air and Blacklane will offer guests a thoughtfully curated journey, marked by reliability, sophistication, and genuine care. 'We look forward to welcoming Riyadh Air guests and ensuring every moment of their journey is unique.' Blacklane first-class chauffeur-driven vehicles will provide the carrier's passengers with the best service standards through their local expertise. The fast-growing company employs 400 people in international hubs with tens of thousands of chauffeur partners who ensure every guest receives a memorable experience. Blacklane is growing with an ambitious growth strategy, operating in more than 50 countries and over 500 cities around the world.
Zawya
3 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
Riyadh Air announces an order at Paris Air Show with Rolls-Royce for 100 Trent XWB-97 engines
Deal for 100 Trent XWB-97 engines follows Riyadh Air's announcement on first day at Paris Air Show for 25 Airbus A350-1000 aircraft plus 25 options Trent XWB-97 is the world's most efficient large aero-engine, designed and engineered for the A350-1000, providing 97,000 pounds of thrust Multibillion dollar agreement reaffirms Riyadh Air's ambitious plans to operate to over 100 global destinations by 2030, powered by a total fleet of up to 182 aircraft A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was also signed for Rolls-Royce's comprehensive TotalCare service that will cover the health and maintenance of the engines Paris & Riyadh, Riyadh Air, the new national carrier of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, today signed a deal at the 55th Edition of Paris Air Show at Le Bourget with Rolls-Royce for 100 Trent XWB-97 engines to power its fleet of up to 50 Airbus A350-1000 an order that was announced yesterday. The agreement was signed by Adam Boukadida, Chief Financial Officer of Riyadh Air and Ewen McDonald, Chief Customer Officer at Rolls Royce in the presence of Tony Douglas, Riyadh Air's Chief Executive Officer and Rob Watson, President of Civil Aerospace at Rolls-Royce. At the same time, a Memorandum of Understanding was also signed for Rolls-Royce's comprehensive TotalCare service that will cover the health and maintenance of the engines. The Trent XWB-97 engine is the world's most efficient large aero-engine, specifically designed for the Airbus A350-1000 and will help fulfil Riyadh Air's ambitions to fly to over 100 global destinations by 2030. The airline, whose fleet orders now total up to 182 aircraft across three fleet types, is set to commence operations later in 2025. The A350-1000 aircraft to be powered by the Trent XWB-97 engines, will help grow Riyadh Air's network to the furthest corners of the globe, adding range and capacity that will ensure that Riyadh, a G20 capital city, will be fully connected to the world, realizing the goals of Saudi Vision 2030. Having secured its Air Operators Certificate (AOC) earlier in 2025, Riyadh Air is making considerable progress as it moves closer to its maiden flight later this year. Riyadh Air CFO, Adam Boukadida said: ' The growth of Riyadh Air is of critical importance to the development of Saudi Arabia as an aviation hub, and selecting world-class companies like Rolls-Royce to power our future Airbus large wide-body fleet ensures we have the right partners in place to achieve our ambitions. This deal for 100 Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines to power our fleet of Airbus A350-1000 aircraft is hugely significant as it brings us closer to realizing our long-term vision of enhanced connectivity for Riyadh. Our goal is to deliver an unrivalled guest experience, linked to a world-class network and provide our guests with unlimited options to fly direct to major global cities.' Rob Watson, President, Civil Aerospace, Rolls-Royce, said: 'We're looking forward to supporting the significant growth ambitions of Riyadh Air in its launch year. The Trent XWB-97 is an incredible engine and our TotalCare package will provide operational certainty across the fleet. The engine will benefit from the £1bn investment we're making to the Trent engine family that improves their durability and efficiency across all operations. We look forward to supporting these new aircraft as they enter service.' This collaboration underscores Riyadh Air's dedication to innovation, comfort, and world-class service, enhancing every aspect of the travel experience for its guests. Riyadh Air continues to redefine premium travel, driven by a mission to connect the world to Saudi Arabia's hospitality and vision for the future. About Riyadh Air Riyadh Air, a PIF company, is a world-class airline. Launched in March 2023, the airline will be a digitally led, full-service airline that adopts the best global sustainability and safety practices across its advanced fleet of aircraft. Riyadh Air will equip its aircraft with the most advanced, state-of-the-art features with innovative, best-in-class cabin interiors and experiences, including next generation digital in-flight entertainment systems and connectivity solutions. Riyadh Air will connect guests to over 100 destinations around the world by 2030 through offering an exceptional guest experience with an authentic, warm Saudi hospitality at its heart. About Rolls-Royce Holdings plc Rolls-Royce is a force for progress; powering, protecting and connecting people everywhere. Our products and service packages help our customers meet the growing need for power across multiple industries; enable governments to equip their armed forces with the power required to protect their citizens; and connect people, societies, cultures and economies together. Rolls-Royce has a local presence in 48 countries and customers in over a hundred more, including airlines and aircraft leasing companies, armed forces and navies, and marine and industrial customers. Through our multi-year transformation programme, we are building a high-performing, competitive, resilient and growing Rolls-Royce. We are building the financial capacity and agility to allow us to successfully develop and deliver the products that will support our customers through the energy transition. Annual underlying revenue was £17.8 billion in 2024, and underlying operating profit was £2.46 billion. Rolls-Royce Holdings plc is a publicly traded company (LSE: RR., ADR: RYCEY, LEI: 213800EC7997ZBLZJH69)
Bloomberg
3 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Upstart Riyadh Air Aims to Add New Destination Every Two Months
Riyadh Air plans to add a new destination every two months once it starts service, as the carrier prepares to begin taking delivery of its Boeing Co. 787s. The upstart carrier, owned by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, needs two aircraft in order to manage the back-and-forth of each new destination, Chief Executive Officer Tony Douglas said in an interview in Paris. The airline plans to serve 100 cities by 2030, he said.
