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Saudi carrier Riyadh Air signed its first aircraft lease with Saudi-based lessor AviLease for a Boeing 787-9, with delivery for the jet currently slated for the fourth quarter of this year. The deal complements the airline's soft-launch of daily flights between King Khalid International Airport (RUH) in Riyadh and London Heathrow Airport (LHR) in London that began on October 26. These services are currently limited to employees and select guests to fine-tune operations ahead of the resumption of full commercial service. The airline's lease underscores a near-term path to add lift while Riyadh Air awaits larger fleet deliveries that are already on order, a move that aligns with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 aviation goals. Together, the lease and soft launch mark tangible progress towards the airline's 2025 commercial debut and broader network ambitions. The airline is looking to become a go-through premium airline for those looking to travel across multiple continents, funneling passengers through a Riyadh hub. A Deeper Look At The Key Developments In This Story AviLease and Riyadh Air executed a landmark first lease that covered just one Boeing 787-9 aircraft, positioning the company to be the inaugural lease partner for a young and rapidly growing airline. The delivery for this model is currently planned for the fourth quarter of 2025. Riyadh Air said that operating a Boeing 787-9 is a key piece in helping support its objectives of having a young, fuel-efficient fleet, and the airline's world-class service aims. In parallel, the airline began daily non-public flights from Riyadh to London Heathrow on October 26 as part of the carrier's "Pathway to Perfect" readiness plan, which used a designated "training" Boeing 787-9 and newly awarded slots. Seats are currently limited to employees and invited guests while procedures, service, and reliability are slowly refined. Public announcements emphasized the staged approach in order to ensure operational excellence before sales are opened up to general customers. Riyadh Air's leadership team is undeniably excited by this latest development. In a statement, Adam Boukadida, the CFO of Riyadh Air, had the following words to share: "We are pleased to complete our first aircraft lease with AviLease as we continue building a young, fuel-efficient fleet ahead of our commercial launch. The Boeing 787 is a highly capable aircraft that will play an important role in delivering a world-class travel experience for our future guests. This agreement marks an important step in establishing Riyadh Air as a leading global airline." What Implications Does This Latest Development Have On Riyadh Air? Leasing a Boeing 787-9 from AviLease provides elite flexibility, offering earlier access to long-haul capacity and a smoother ramp between trial flying and a broader commercial launch while Riyadh Air's large widebody order pipeline continues to mature. A domestic government Public Investment Fund (PIF)-linked lessor reduces overall coordination frictions and can align overall lease terms with national aviation objectives, lowering execution risks across the board versus purely external financing. Strategically, the soft-launch of this London service allows Riyadh Air to burn down start-up risk, validating schedules, crew, catering, and ground processes across the board, all before opening to paying public traffic, something which protects early brand equity. The airline wants to become known as a premium, reliable alternative to the often conservative and outdated national carrier Saudia. The addition of a single Boeing 787-9 adds incremental utilization and revenue potential once the airline's network is fully commercialized. This supports slot retentions at capacity-constrained airports like Heathrow, and it also creates credibility on premium routes, something essential for the growth of partnerships and corporate sales. This lease advances a capital-efficient path to scale and positions the airline to accelerate network build-out in 2026. What Is The Overall Impact On Passengers? In the near term, passengers will not be able to see broad schedule availability yet, with trials being only invitation-only. The overall testing phase should translate into a smoother Day-1 launch, with more reliable on-time performance, a refined cabin service, and fewer growing pains. Once sales open, the additional capacity offered by a Boeing 787-9 will support a stable departure schedule from London Heathrow. This will improve connection options between Saudi Arabia and Europe and give travelers a fresh premium competitor on this kind of marquee route. For business travelers, an early foothold at London Heathrow Airport suggests schedule consistency, and the expansion of premium amenities will undoubtedly be prioritized across the board. The Boeing 787-9 certainly offers many passenger comfort benefits, including lower cabin altitude, better humidity, and quieter flights. As the airline's fleet and network continue to expand, passengers should gain more nonstop choices and a new, powerful loyalty ecosystem, one which is rolled out after operational proving. This comes along with competitive introductory pricing or benefits. In short, limited access today is the trade-off for a more polished, reliable product once ticket sales actually go public.
