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Heathrow has seen some strange aircraft operations. in 2005, Qantas paid for a small regional jet to fly from London Airport to Manchester each morningSit on the ground all day and return every evening. Apparently there were a handful of passengers on board. Main purpose: Protecting precious slots, allowing take-off and landing at specific times.
Two years later, British Mediterranean flew empty jets six times a week between Heathrow and Cardiff. Under the “use them or lose them” policy for slots, there are no penalties for such wasteful behavior. In fact, under the rules the airline is rewarded by being allowed to keep the slot.
Later this month, another unusual arrival is expected Riyadh In saudi arabia Every morning at 7.30. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is in the colors of Saudi startup Riyadh Air. But the plane actually belongs to Oman Air. It is leased to Riyadh Air as “technical spare” – and it even has a name, Jamila,
Established by the country’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), Riyadh Air has lofty ambitions. “We will definitely be a super-connector,” says chief executive Tony Douglas. His airline has 182 aircraft on order and plans to fly to 100 or more destinations from the capital within five years.
“Our goal is to permanently transcend our guests’ perceptions and experiences of flying in the modern world,” says Mr. Douglas. But he has been assigned a difficult task. Delays in delivery of the airline’s initial 787 aircraft meant this Jamila to be brought for the initial link between Riyadh and London HeathrowTo safeguard the valuable clearance acquired by the airline.
The route already sees stiff competition, with five flights a day each way between British Airways, Saudia and Virgin Atlantic. Yet you will search in vain to book a flight on Riyadh Air. Initially, seats will be sold only to employees of the airline and PIF. This is a narrow customer base, but the goal of the “soft launch” is to smooth out the glitches in operation while waiting for the brand new aircraft to be equipped with the promised state-of-the-art interior.
“By offering the aircraft now as technical spare, it allows Riyadh Air to commence services as soon as possible, when the first two B787-9 aircraft will be delivered in 2025,” the carrier says. Startup planning underway; However, what about the end game?
Some background: Saudi Arabia is diversifying its economy. Since it is the largest Arab country, 10 times larger than the UK, tourism is seen as a huge opportunity. Billions of dollars are being spent on new infrastructure, from the Neom project on the Red Sea coast to attractions in the capital.
CEO Tony Douglas’s first task is to improve connectivity to Riyadh. The capital has no direct connection to the three major world cities in the east: Tokyo, Shanghai and Sydney. “There is a market here that is completely underserved,” he says.
As these and many other routes are connected, connectivity will increase. Currently only one in 10 passengers arriving in Riyadh are connecting, while nine in 10 passengers at Gulf hubs are connecting.
The competition has proved hugely beneficial for travellers: between the UK and several Asian countries, passengers can choose from connections to Dubai on Emirates, Doha on Qatar Airways and Abu Dhabi on Etihad (which Mr Douglas used to run). These are the Middle East Big Three (MEB3); It aims to add a quarter to Riyadh Air’s size.
Potential passengers who are accustomed to copious amounts of alcohol on MEB3 may not yet expect the same on Riyadh Air. “We will follow the law of the land,” says Tony Douglas. “Should there be a change in the law, we will consider it and adapt accordingly.”
On the subject of the law: Discrimination against women is rooted in Saudi law: they need the permission of a male guardian to marry, and are obliged to obey their husbands. The UK Foreign Office says: “Same-sex relationships are illegal.” And in 2019, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights concluded that the Saudi state was responsible for the “premeditated extrajudicial execution” of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Other regimes in the region are not exactly paragons of liberal democracy. Passengers will decide whether to fly with Riyadh Air or not. But at least some people will be happy to have more options. The question for them: How soon will they be able to check in to Heathrow to see service to Riyadh?