Riyadh Air (RX, Riyadh) plans to ink a third order for widebody aircraft in the second half of this year, followed by a possible order for freighters, The National newspaper reported. Speaking at the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai last month, CEO Tony Douglas told the daily that the start-up carrier will make a final decision on whether it will order A350-1000s or B777Xs.
"We will do an extra-widebody order, if it all works on the timelines we're on, that will be a summer announcement, and it will be the third aircraft type in our fleet," he said, adding that the proposed widebody freighters will have the same airframe and engines as the passenger jets.
The airline issued a request for proposals to both Airbus and Boeing for up to 50 aircraft in June 2024. It subsequently narrowed the choice to the A350-1000 and the B777X, noting in February this year it would have to make a decision soon to secure production slots.
According to the ch-aviation fleets module, Riyadh Air currently operates a single B787-9 as a test and crew training platform. It has another 39 of the variant on firm order from Boeing, along with sixty A321-200Ns that it ordered last year.
Douglas said it expects to take delivery of three more B787s this year followed by ten in 2026 and then one aircraft a month after that. While the carrier received its AOC in February, delivery delays have forced it to postpone its launch to the third quarter of the year.
Also as previously reported, Douglas said the airline would be interested in acquiring Boeing aircraft that Chinese carriers have opted not to take amid the trade war with the United States, should the opportunity arise.
