Riyadh Air (RXI, Riyadh) was granted an air operator's certificate (AOC) by the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) of Saudi Arabia. The certification process lasted for 11 months and involved over 200 hours of test flights, as well as an audit of airline’s equipment, personnel, and operational procedures.
“The issuance of the AOC confirms Riyadh Air’s full compliance with Saudi Arabia’s aviation regulations, international standards, and flight safety requirements under the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation,” the authority said.
The airline announced that it received the AOC on April 6 during a ceremony attended by chief executive Tony Douglas, transport and logistics minister Saleh Al-Jasser, and GACA president Abdulaziz Al-Duailej.
Douglas said that Riyadh Air plans to start scheduled passenger flights by the end of 2025. It initially intended to begin operations in the first quarter of 2025, but the launch date was later postponed to the third quarter.
According to the ch-aviation fleets module, the airline currently has a single B787-9 in its fleet and aims to add 39 more of the type. It is also set to receive 60 A321-200Ns. In addition, Riyadh Air is reportedly negotiating the purchase of additional widebody aircraft and is interested in A350-1000s and B777X.
