Saudi Arabia’s aviation ambitions take shape with Riyadh Air’s launch

Saudi Arabia’s aviation ambitions take shape with Riyadh Air’s launch

Saudi Arabia's aviation market has entered a new phase of rapid growth, facilitated by the fast pace of new country-wide projects as part of the country’s Vision 2030, liberalisation of country entry requirements, and widespread media campaigns to change perceptions of the kingdom. As a nation, the increasing travel demand by a predominantly young Saudi population is enough to justify aviation sector growth — the air transport market in Saudi Arabia is forecast to grow by 126% in the next 20 years. An expanding middle class and a strong demand for commercial air travel continue to make the Middle East a key market for global airlines and investors. The introduction of new technologies, such as biometric identification, autonomous vehicles, and the use of artificial intelligence is set to transform the way people travel in the region, while major infrastructure projects, including new airports and rapid expansion of existing airport hubs, are set to boost capacity.

Riyadh Air, the new Saudi state-owned start-up, plans to replicate and then build on the successes of its Gulf neighbours who diversified oil and gas-based economies by becoming global, liberalised aviation hubs, leveraging the geographic position of the Middle East between Europe, Asia and Africa. It’s