Saudi Arabia unveils Riyadh Air, the country’s new national carrier

Saudi Arabia unveils Riyadh Air, the country’s new national carrier

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Prime Minister and chairman of the Public Investment Fund (PIF) launched Riyadh Air, Saudi Arabia’s new national carrier, on March 12. Operating from Riyadh as its hub, the PIF-owned Riyadh Air is expected to add $20bn to the kingdom’s non-oil GDP growth, creating more than 200,000 direct and indirect jobs. The new national airline represents PIF’s latest investment in the sector, along with the recently announced King Salman International Airport masterplan. Riyadh Air will be chaired by Yasir Al-Rumayyan, governor of PIF. Tony Douglas, who has more than 40 years of experience in the aviation, transportation and logistics industries, has been appointed chief executive officer. The airline’s senior management will also include Saudi and international experts.