Riyadh Air, which is Saudi Arabia’s ambitious new airline that will launch flights in 2025, is expected to place a big aircraft order in the coming days…
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Riyadh Air eyes 737 MAX for narrow body fleet
Bloomberg is reporting that Riyadh Air is nearing an order for up to 100 Boeing 737 MAXs, with a final agreement possibly being announced in the coming days, at the Dubai Airshow (which runs November 13-17, 2023). While the exact details remain to be seen, the expectation is that the airline will place a firm order for 50 737 MAXs, with options for an additional 50 jets.
We don’t yet know which variants of the 737 MAX the airline will select. Currently the 737 MAX 8 and 737 MAX 9 are the two planes that have been certified and are in service, while the 737 MAX 7 and 737 MAX 10 aren’t yet certified.
We’ve known that Riyadh Air has been working on a narrow body aircraft order, to complement the carrier’s long haul fleet. After all, the airline doesn’t just hope to provide long haul connectivity to Saudi Arabia, but also hopes to provide short haul lift.
I can’t wait to see how Riyadh Air chooses to configure these jets. Will the airline just go with recliner seats in business class, or will we see the airline offer flat beds throughout the fleet? Or could we see Riyadh Air offer two different configurations, with some jets designed for longer flights to Europe, and some designed for shorter hops within the Gulf region?
Hopefully we see the airline introduce something similar to FlyDubai’s new Boeing 737 MAX business class suites. Anyway, while we’ll know the details of the aircraft order soon, it’ll probably be some time until we learn the details of the plane interiors.
Riyadh Air going for all-Boeing fleet
In March 2023, Riyadh Air placed an order for up to 72 Boeing 787s, including a firm order for 39 jets, plus options for an additional 33 jets. If this all materializes as expected, it sounds like Riyadh Air may have an all-Boeing fleet, at least for the foreseeable future.
If so, I’m not sure if that’s intentional, or just how this happened to work out:
- There’s often a political aspect to aircraft orders, and Saudi Arabian carriers have long been big supporters of Boeing jets
- Typically much more important is being able to get the best price, and also being able to get delivery slots in a timely manner, especially when you’re an airline startup that hopes to grow quickly
My guess is that the decision so far is less political, and more about when the next delivery slots are available for these aircraft. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the airline order some Airbus jets in the future as well, especially if it hopes to grow at a fast pace.
Bottom line
Saudi Arabian airline startup Riyadh Air is expected to place a big Boeing 737 MAX order shortly. I imagine the airline has managed to secure some short-term delivery slots, given that operations are launching in 2025. Any narrow body aircraft order would complement Riyadh Air’s Boeing 787 order, which was announced earlier this year.
It should be an exciting Dubai Airshow next week. Despite all the global and economic uncertainty, it’s expected that several new aircraft orders will be announced.
What do you make of Riyadh Air’s prospective Boeing 737 MAX order?
ISo will this airline serve booze or not???
You really need a confirmation on whether a Saudi airline will serve booze?
They are going to serve alcohol and have a similar paxex to the ME3
Good job, Riyadh Air.
I’ve flown recently on AC’s and Sq’s 737 Max planes. I have been pleasantly surprised. Quiet and comfy. Good choice.
I'm glad that an airline I will never fly buys up planes I want to avoid flying on. More Airbus slots for airlines from proper countries.
Riyadh Air is becoming reality. Boeing will get a nice win at the Dubai Air Show which for which Airbus already is getting plenty of good news.
These are great days for Airbus and Boeing.
Happy for Boeing on this, they need some good news and momentum.
I think you’re very naive if you think the Boeing decision wasn’t political in Saudi Arabia,..
Tell us about the time when a state-owned carrier's multi-billion purchase from anyone, wasn't "political".....
Sam, when is ANY major purchase not political? Like Boeing had a .001% chance of getting an AirFrance/KLM order.....LOL.
How dumb can a Benjamin be?
Look at AF's and KLM's fleet and tell me how many Boeings they have.
Idiot.
Look at AF's and KLM's fleet and tell me how many Boeings they have.
...or, more realistically, look at their outstanding orders:
5 total pax aircraft from Boeing, between the two airlines, for a single variant.
195 total pax aircraft from Airbus, across 5 different variants.
It's not hard to see whose products they prefer, moving forward.
Well, I guess SOMEONE'S gotta buy that crap. A32x are sold out for years...
Could not say it better myself.
Ben is Neom airlines still going to be a thing? Haven’t heard much about them recently.
I've been wondering the same thing. Saudi Arabia would be fairly unique in having 3 major airlines for a country it's size (Taiwan, and maybe Spain before IAG gobbled up Vueling/Level and now Air Europa, not sure who else I'm missing?).
That's an Italian airline, what in the hell are you talking about them for here?
NEOM is a planned Saudi airline.