Saudi Arabian start-up airline Riyadh Air has been given the go-ahead this week by the Saudi Civil Aviation Authority as it obtains its Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC).
The AOC, which took 11 months to obtain, grants the airline official permission to start commercial flights. It’s the result of over 200 hours of testing on the airline’s Boeing 787 aircraft to ensure that it can comply with Saudi Arabia’s aviation regulations and safety requirements.
Riyadh Air says it hopes to start commercial flights at the end of this year, reports ch-aviation, having previously announced purchases for a total of 60 Airbus A321neos and 39 more Boeing 787-9s.
It’s being led by former CEO of Etihad, Tony Douglas, who steered the Abu Dhabi-based carrier from 2018 to 2022.
According to ch-aviation, Douglas revealed in a press conference earlier this week that the new Saudi-based carrier is hoping to launch commercial flights at the end of this year. This comes after the original start date of Q1 2025 was pushed back due to delays in Boeing’s delivery timeline.
Saudi Arabia’s Civil Aviation Authority (GACA) says that it expects Riyadh Air to be operating to more than 100 destinations by the end of the decade, with the AOC marking the first step on the airline’s journey.
