What happened
Riyadh Air is taking delivery of its first new-build Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners on the morning of Friday, June 5, 2026, with two aircraft (registrations HZ-RXAA and HZ-RXAB) en route from Charleston and Everett. This delivery precedes the airline's formal public launch to London Heathrow (LHR) on July 1, 2026. While the airline has operated flights to LHR since October 2025 using a previously owned Oman Air 787-9 for slot retention, those flights were primarily for PIF employees. The new fleet features 290 seats in three cabins: 4 premium business, 24 standard business, 39 premium economy, and 223 economy, all with Safran Unity seats and free Viasat Wi-Fi. The airline has ordered up to 72 787-9s, with additional Airbus A321neo and A350-1000 orders