Riyadh Air CEO Tony Douglas stated on Monday that the Saudi startup airline is prepared to purchase Boeing aircraft initially intended for Chinese carriers, should deliveries be halted due to escalating trade tensions between Washington and Beijing, according to Reuters.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Arabian Travel Market, Douglas said:
“What we’ve done is make it very clear to Boeing that if that happens… we’ll happily take them all.”
Boeing is currently seeking to resell dozens of aircraft that China has blocked from import due to tariff disputes. The situation escalated after a third aircraft was returned to the U.S., prompting renewed criticism of Beijing from former U.S. President Donald Trump.
In an unusual move, Boeing publicly acknowledged the possibility of selling the planes during a call with analysts last week, emphasizing that there would be no shortage of buyers in a market facing tight supply.
Fleet Expansion and Orders
Riyadh Air, backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), is preparing to launch operations in the final quarter of this year. The airline has already placed orders with both Boeing and Airbus, including:
- 60 narrow-body Airbus A321neo aircraft (ordered in October 2023)
- Up to 72 Boeing 787 Dreamliners (ordered in March 2023)
Despite global supply chain challenges and delivery delays, the airline does not anticipate a near-term resolution with either manufacturer.
Workforce Growth and Future Plans
Douglas also revealed that Riyadh Air has hired 500 employees so far, with plans to grow the workforce to 1,000 over the next 9 to 12 months. Pilot and cabin crew hiring will ramp up progressively as aircraft are delivered.
He added that the airline intends to announce a new wide-body aircraft order this summer, noting that global macroeconomic uncertainty has not affected demand for travel to and from the Saudi capital.
