Latest news with #TonyDouglas
Tourism Breaking News
23-06-2025
- Business
- Tourism Breaking News
Riyadh Air partners with Blacklane to offer complimentary chauffeur services for all international business elite, business class and eligible loyalty guests
Post Views: 22 Riyadh Air and Blacklane launch a strategic global partnership to provide premium chauffeur services to guests. The partnership sets a new benchmark for seamless, guest centric travel – marrying the ground and air experience of comfort and hospitality. Eligible guests will enjoy complementary luxury chauffeur services between Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport and within a 50km radius. Riyadh Air guests can also separately book Blacklane's chauffeur services worldwide, integrated into their travel journey. The collaboration represents a significant step in Riyadh Air's plan to deliver best-in-class services throughout the customer journey experience and brings together two companies committed to exceptional service. The new agreement sets new standards in the airline industry in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and around the world. Through this partnership guests travelling internationally in Riyadh Air Business Elite or Business Class, plus eligible loyalty members will enjoy complimentary luxury chauffeur services with Blacklane within 50 KM radius of Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport in elegant, high-end vehicles. Integrated directly into Riyadh Air's booking platform, guests will be able to arrange their Blacklane chauffeur as part of their travel experience where eligible. Guests also have the ability to enjoy seamless journeys, including airport transfers, city-to-city travel, in-city rides and chauffeurs by the hour in Riyadh and at any of the airline's global destinations. Tony Douglas, CEO of Riyadh Air said : 'Our partnership with Blacklane reinforces our ethos of ensuring our customers experience Saudi hospitality with world-class service standards, We revealed our stylish new Business Elite and Business Class seats recently, and this is the next step in keeping our promises to deliver an exceptional premium experience to our guests. Riyadh Air and Blacklane are two outstanding brands with hospitality and an attention to detail at heart, and our relationship will offer our guests a truly elevated travel itinerary, from the first mile to the last.' Dr. Jens Wohltorf, CEO and Co-Founder of Blacklane, added: This partnership is more than a service; 'it's a promise. Together, Riyadh Air and Blacklane will offer guests a thoughtfully curated journey, marked by reliability, sophistication, and genuine care. We look forward to welcoming Riyadh Air guests and ensuring every moment of their journey is unique. Blacklane first-class chauffeur-driven vehicles will provide Riyadh Air passengers with the best service standards through their local expertise.' The fast-growing company employs 400 people in international hubs with tens of thousands of chauffeur partners who ensure every guest receives a memorable experience. Blacklane is growing with an ambitious growth strategy, operating in more than 50 countries and over 500 cities around the world. This approach has enabled it to build a trusted reputation among the world's leading luxury travel companies, corporate brands, and discerning individuals. The company has also pushed innovation in electrification and training in the mobility industry while pursuing major advancements in sustainable technology.
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Riyadh Air Orders Up to 50 Airbus Widebody Jets
Riyadh Air CEO Tony Douglas discusses route changes in the Mideast from the Israel-Iran conflict, expresses "100 percent" confidence in the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, and offers details on the airline's order for 50 Airbus widebody jets. He speaks to Bloomberg's Guy Johnson from the Paris Air Show.
Business Insider
20-06-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
Why Airbus's huge deal with Saudi Arabia's new airline is a major win for the A350
Airbus's enormous A350-1000 plane has attracted a lot of attention at this week's Paris Air Show. The star passenger jet of the flying display, many people stopped in their tracks to watch it twist and turn above Le Bourget Airport, while a Johann Strauss waltz played over the show's loudspeakers. But for Airbus, the real victory was Monday's order from Riyadh Air. Saudi Arabia's ambitious new airline ordered 25 A350-1000 s, with options for up to 25 more. The prices weren't disclosed, but according to Ishka, an aviation data and advisory firm, one of these planes delivered this year would be worth around $172 million. That would make the deal worth over $4 billion, although planemakers typically give discounts for big deals with airlines. These enormous jets will play a vital role as Riyadh Air seeks to help turn the Saudi capital into a top tourist destination — a key part of the kingdom's Vision 2030 plan to diversify its economy. Riyadh Air, set to start flying later this year, is expected to operate a hub-and-spoke route model — connecting destinations around the world via its home base. This requires owning large-capacity planes for the most popular routes. Emirates operates similarly, hence its big bet on the double-decker Airbus A380. Riyadh Air kicked off its program with an order for up to 72 Boeing 787 jets, but tapped Airbus for its first narrow-body order of 60 A321neos. Riyadh Air CEO Tony Douglas previously told Business Insider its extra-wide-body planes would "almost certainly" include a first-class cabin, unlike the 787s. The A350-1000 can carry up to 410 passengers in a typical three-class layout and has a range of over 9,000 miles. It competes with Boeing's 777X, which has a wider fuselage and more modern technologies, but has been hampered by delays. While Boeing showed the plane at the last Paris Air Show in 2023, it wasn't displayed at Farnborough last year during the planemaker's safety crisis, nor this year due to ongoing flight tests. It was initially supposed to launch in 2020, but has since been postponed until 2026 as it awaits certification. However, the A350-1000 has also faced some challenges. It has a checkered history with Middle Eastern carriers, primarily due to issues from the hot and sandy climate in the region. This made headlines at the 2023 Dubai Air Show after Emirates boss Tim Clark slammed the plane's Rolls-Royce engines. In harsher environments, the engines require more frequent maintenance. Emirates instead placed a smaller order for the A350-900, which uses a different type of Rolls-Royce engine. Meanwhile, it is Boeing's biggest customer for the 777X, responsible for nearly half its 551 orders. Rolls-Royce has invested over $1 billion to improve the durability of its Trent engine family, which its president of civil aerospace referenced in its Riyadh Air announcement. Qatar Airways has also been unhappy with the A350 in the past, temporarily grounding its fleet. The type's launch customer sued Airbus in 2021, alleging that safety was compromised because cracked paint exposed the copper mesh, which protects the plane from lightning strikes. Airbus said the problem was only cosmetic and filed a countersuit before the dispute was settled in 2023. Now with a sizable order from Riyadh Air, it's clear the A350's reputation is improving with a new lease of life.
Arab News
18-06-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Riyadh Air to launch new destination every 2 months as 787 deliveries near
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia's Riyadh Air is gearing up to introduce a new international destination every two months once it begins operations, as the carrier prepares to receive its first Boeing 787 aircraft. Riyadh Air, fully owned by the Public Investment Fund, is awaiting delivery of its initial aircraft to commence services, according to CEO Tony Douglas. Speaking to Bloomberg, he said the airline requires two jets to initiate a round-trip route to each new destination. Douglas added that Riyadh Air aims to connect to 100 cities by 2030 as part of its long-term growth strategy. This aligns with the Saudi Aviation Strategy, which targets doubling passenger capacity to 330 million annually from over 250 global destinations and increasing cargo handling to 4.5 million tons by 2030. The carrier currently has four Boeing 787 Dreamliners in different stages of assembly at Boeing's facility in Charleston, South Carolina. Operations are expected to begin once the first two aircraft have been delivered. Riyadh Air had initially planned to launch services in early 2025, but delays in aircraft handovers from Boeing have pushed back the timeline. 'The fact that these are in production probably brings my blood pressure down,' Douglas said. 'I will actually not believe they've been delivered until the day after they've been delivered.' Douglas also confirmed that Riyadh Air has secured the necessary landing slots for its first destinations, though he did not disclose which cities they are. At the Paris Air Show this week, the airline announced an order for up to 50 Airbus A350 long-range jets, with deliveries expected to begin in 2030. Riyadh Air has also placed orders for 60 Airbus A321neo narrowbody aircraft and as many as 72 Boeing 787s, including options. Commenting on the Airbus order, Douglas said the decision was based on the aircraft's capabilities and favorable commercial terms when compared with Boeing's 777X model. 'It was a very close call,' he noted, as reported by Bloomberg. The airline's growth strategy reflects the Kingdom's ambition to transform Riyadh into a global travel hub and position Saudi Arabia as a major player in international aviation. Riyadh Air aims to contribute to the broader Vision 2030 goals by enhancing connectivity and promoting tourism across the Kingdom.
Arabian Business
17-06-2025
- Business
- Arabian Business
Riyadh Air announces Blacklane chauffer service for passengers in Saudi Arabia
Riyadh Air has announced it will offer Blacklane chauffeur service to premium-class passengers in Saudi Arabia. The announcement of the collaboration between the new Saudi airline and the luxury chauffeur service came during the 2025 Paris Airshow. Through this partnership guests travelling internationally in Riyadh Air Business Elite or Business Class, plus eligible loyalty members will enjoy complimentary luxury chauffeur services with Blacklane within 50km radius of Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport. Riyadh Air Blacklane chauffeur service The collaboration represents a significant step in Riyadh Air's plan to deliver best-in-class services throughout the customer journey experience and brings together two companies committed to exceptional service. Integrated directly into Riyadh Air's booking platform, guests will be able to arrange their Blacklane chauffeur as part of their travel experience where eligible. Guests also have the ability to enjoy seamless journeys, including airport transfers, city-to-city travel, in-city rides and chauffeurs by the hour in Riyadh and at any of the airline's global destinations. Tony Douglas, CEO of Riyadh Air, said: 'Our partnership with Blacklane reinforces our ethos of ensuring our customers experience Saudi hospitality with world-class service standards. We revealed our stylish new Business Elite and Business Class seats recently, and this is the next step in keeping our promises to deliver an exceptional premium experience to our guests. 'Riyadh Air and Blacklane are two outstanding brands with hospitality and an attention to detail at heart, and our relationship will offer our guests a truly elevated travel itinerary, from the first mile to the last.' Dr. Jens Wohltorf, CEO and Co-Founder of Blacklane, said: 'This partnership is more than a service—it's a promise. Together, Riyadh Air and Blacklane will offer guests a thoughtfully curated journey, marked by reliability, sophistication, and genuine care. 'We look forward to welcoming Riyadh Air guests and ensuring every moment of their journey is unique.' Blacklane first-class chauffeur-driven vehicles will provide the carrier's passengers with the best service standards through their local expertise. The fast-growing company employs 400 people in international hubs with tens of thousands of chauffeur partners who ensure every guest receives a memorable experience. Blacklane is growing with an ambitious growth strategy, operating in more than 50 countries and over 500 cities around the world.
