Riyadh Air (RXI, Riyadh) is interested in acquiring Boeing aircraft that Chinese carriers have opted not to take amid the trade war with the United States, should the opportunity arise, CEO Tony Douglas told Reuters on April 28.

In an interview with Bloomberg published on the same day, Douglas said that there was no hard evidence that tariffs are currently affecting the aviation industry. At the moment, tariffs are not impacting airlines' cost structures, with jet fuel still being the biggest single budget burden for the companies, he added.

The chief executive remains cautious, however, saying that the situation with the tariffs can change at short notice. "What we've done," he said, "is made it quite clear to Boeing, should that ever happen, and the keyword there is should, we'll happily take them all."

Douglas' statements came after Beijing told its carriers to stop all aircraft deliveries from Boeing. Several airlines outside China have openly shown interest in taking the aircraft.

Boeing's CEO, Kelly Ortberg, told CNBC last week that the manufacturer was still keen on delivering the jets to Chinese customers. However, he said Boeing would be pragmatic and sell the aircraft to other airlines if the Chinese carriers do not take them. "There are plenty of customers out there looking for MAX aircraft," he added.

Ortberg noted that Boeing had planned to deliver around 50 aircraft to carriers in China in 2025.

According to the ch-aviation fleets module, Riyadh Air currently operates one B787-9 as a test aircraft, with 39 more units ordered from the manufacturer set to join its fleet. The entry into service of the B787s, which will mark the airline's launch, is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2025. The airline is also expecting to add sixty A321-200Ns.

The Saudi carrier, which only recently obtained its air operator's certificate, is also mulling a new widebody order. The CEO said it was seeking larger widebody jets and that the order could be announced during the summer. Riyadh Air aims to operate a fleet comprised of three different aircraft types.