Riyadh Air announces first fleet order of 72 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners

Riyadh Air announces first fleet order of 72 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners

RIYADH — Riyadh Air, the new world-class airline launched by the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), announced on Tuesday an order of up to 72 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner airplanes in a multi-billion dollar deal. This unprecedented order for a new carrier — 39 confirmed aircraft with an option to acquire 33 additional wide-body 787-9 Dreamliner airplanes — is a strong signal of intent for Saudi Arabia to become a global aviation hub. This agreement is part of Saudi Arabia’s wider strategic plan to transform the country into a global aviation hub. In total, national carriers today announced their intent to purchase up to 121 Dreamliners 787 in what will be the fifth largest commercial order by value in Boeing’s history. This will support the country’s goal of serving 330 million passengers and attracting 100 million visits by 2030. In terms of economic impact, in the US, the deal is expected to support nearly 100,000 direct and indirect jobs and more than 300 suppliers from across 38 states, including 145 US small businesses, while in Saudi Arabia, the new airline is expected to add $20 billion to non-oil GDP growth and create more than 200,000 direct and indirect jobs. The order