The airline will deploy a Boeing 787-9 “technical spare” aircraft, named Jamila, on the route as part of a phased “Pathway to Perfect” strategy designed to validate operational readiness, crew performance and customer experience ahead of a public roll-out. The outbound leg is scheduled to depart Riyadh at 03:15 local time, arriving Heathrow at 07:30; the return leaves London at 09:30 and lands in Riyadh at 19:15.
Chief Executive Tony Douglas said the launch is not meant as a full commercial opening but rather a controlled assessment phase in which paying passengers will be drawn from “select groups and Riyadh Air employees.” Ticket availability to the general public will begin only after the delivery of the airline’s first purpose-built fleet aircraft, which are expected in the months following the launch.
The London route marks the first step in Riyadh Air’s larger plan to serve more than 100 destinations by the end of the decade. Flows to Dubai are expected to follow once the new aircraft are in service, potentially shifting Jamila away from the Heathrow route. Douglas has indicated that as the fleet expands, Jamila will become the technical reserve while newer jets take on regular duties.
The airline’s fleet order is substantial: Riyadh Air has committed to up to 72 Boeing 787 Dreamliners, Airbus A321neos, and Airbus A350-1000s for longer-haul operations. Delays in aircraft deliveries from Boeing have been cited as factors that pushed back earlier operational timelines.
In tandem with the London launch, Riyadh Air unveiled “Sfeer,” a loyalty programme built around a community model. Members can share level points with friends or family, and early registrants are designated “The Founders” with priority access to future ticket sales. Sfeer is intended to go fully live in 2026, featuring challenges, leaderboards, on-board WiFi and a “no points expiry” policy.
Industry observers view the phased launch as unusually cautious for an airline debut, but in line with Riyadh Air’s stated ambition to deliver a premium, refined service from day one. Analysts note that testing the entire end-to-end passenger journey on a limited scale could help avoid operational shocks when the airline opens bookings to the wider public.
The Heathrow launch will compete directly with existing services by established carriers on the Riyadh–London axis. Riyadh Air has struck codeshare or cooperation agreements with airlines including Saudia, Delta, Air France-KLM, Turkish Airlines and others to build demand and connect onward networks.
Riyadh Air was founded in March 2023 under the aegis of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. Infrastructure, brand development and fleet acquisition have been major undertakings, along with cabin interior design, uniform creation and route slot negotiations. The airline’s stated objective is to position Riyadh as a global aviation hub and reduce the kingdom’s reliance on transit through other Gulf hubs.
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Saudi Arabia