Saudi Arabia’s new airline sees massive interest from Indian aviation professionals, with India emerging as a key market
As Saudi Arabia prepares to launch its second national airline, Riyadh Air, Indian aviation professionals are showing keen interest in joining the carrier.
The airline’s career portal has been open for two years, receiving 1.4 million applications from 146 nationalities, with India among the top contributors. More than 52% of applicants are women, according to Riyadh Air CEO Tony Douglas, reported timesofindia.indiatimes.com.
Strong Indian Workforce at Riyadh Air
Douglas revealed that Indians make up the second-largest nationality among the airline’s current employees, following Saudis. Riyadh Air, which plans to operate as a full-service carrier, has placed orders for up to 132 aircraft, including Airbus A321neos and Boeing 787 Dreamliners. The airline is also considering a future order for ultra-long-range aircraft, with options between the Boeing 777 9X and Airbus A350-1000.
Currently, Riyadh Air operates with just one aircraft and 500 employees, including 36 pilots and 36 cabin crew members.
India: A Key Market for Riyadh Air
With 1.5 million Indian tourists visiting Saudi Arabia in 2024—a 50% increase from the previous year—Riyadh Air sees significant potential in the Indian market. While 93% of Riyadh’s air traffic is point-to-point, neighboring hubs like Doha and Dubai rely heavily on transfer passengers, indicating growth potential for direct India-Riyadh flights.
-
The Saudi Tourism Authority aims to attract 7.5 million Indian visitors annually by 2030
-
Riyadh Air intends to utilize Saudi Arabia’s untapped bilateral flying rights with India, which remain underutilized compared to other Gulf hubs like Dubai, Qatar, and Singapore.
Strategic Partnerships and Expansion Plans
Douglas and his team are in discussions with IndiGo and Air India to explore potential partnerships. The airline has already secured partnerships with Delta Air Lines for North America and two Chinese carriers, but it seeks strategic alliances in India and Northwestern Europe to strengthen its global reach.
To kickstart operations in India, Riyadh Air’s delegation will meet officials from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the necessary permissions and regulatory approvals.
Strengthening India-Saudi Ties
Douglas emphasized India’s importance in Riyadh Air’s network strategy, stating:
“India is a beautiful nation that will play a crucial role in Riyadh Air’s success story. Our expanded offerings will create more travel and business opportunities, strengthen economic ties, and enhance tourism between Saudi Arabia and India. Beyond connectivity, Riyadh Air will help foster even stronger bonds between our two great countries.”
***********************************************************
Readers
These are extraordinary times. All of us have to rely on high-impact, trustworthy journalism. And this is especially true of the Indian Diaspora. Members of the Indian community overseas cannot be fed with inaccurate news.
Pravasi Samwad is a venture that has no shareholders. It is the result of an impassioned initiative of a handful of Indian journalists spread around the world. We have taken a small step forward with the pledge to provide news with accuracy, free from political and commercial influence. Our aim is to keep you, our readers, informed about developments at ‘home’ and across the world that affect you.
Please help us to keep our journalism independent and free.
In these difficult times, running a news website requires finances. While every contribution, big or small, will make a difference, we request our readers to put us in touch with advertisers worldwide. It will be a great help.
For more information: pravasisamwad00@gmail.com