New Airbus A350 Order

Apologize. In the last video, I said I'd be back in an hour, and I'm not going to lie, it's probably been two hours, but I'm sure you can forgive me because I'm bringing you some more exciting news. Riyadh Air has finally confirmed its order for the Airbus A350 at the 2025 edition of the Paris Air Show. The firm contract includes a deal for 25 of the A350-1000 jets. This is the largest model in the series to date, and it enables high capacity flying. A decision for the upcoming Saudi Arabia-based carrier also sees its snub Boeing and the 777X, this often seen as the counterpart to the A350-1000, and obviously the 777X was the type long in contention for the documented wide-body order. The agreement, which includes, like I said, the purchase of 25 firm aircraft from the program, can also be further increased to up to 50 of the A350-1000s in due course, so there is wiggle room to basically double the commitment at a later date. Riyadh Air will, thanks to this purchase, become the first airline in Saudi Arabia to fly the A350-1000, and the purchase further aligns with the Vision 2030 ambition. The Vision I speak of has been at the forefront of Saudi Arabia's recent investments into that aviation sector. It aims to see 300 million air passengers annually achieved by the end of the 2020s. That's in under five years. Scary, I don't like saying that, I've got to be honest with you, but yeah, it's true. 300 million passengers by the end of the decade, and that is only expected to increase as the years go on into the next decade. I'm sure many would be skeptical on whether this can be achieved, but nevertheless, it positions this region as one of the leading not just aviation hubs in the world, but also tourism hotspots, and we can already see a lot of work currently being conducted to make that a reality. Riyadh Air has therefore, while not having been launched, been seeking a new high-capacity plane for some time to elevate the future long-haul operations, and the latest purchase is seen as a genuine reflection of the ambition that has been present really since their inception. Who are Riyadh Air? It's a massive aircraft deal, and one I'm quite excited about, considering it's for a new airline, and as an aviation enthusiast, probably like yourself watching this, I just get excited about these things, new airlines launching with fancy aircraft, but if you're new to the industry and aren't too familiar with them, well, they remain, to me at least, one of the more ambitious airline launches we've seen. Unveiled by the kingdom, they're part of, like I mentioned, the plan to boost the economy. Despite initial business forecasting more on a premium service with widebodies, Riyadh Air has since evolved and sought to broaden its horizons with a more balanced fleet. Additionally, the carrier has rejected claims that it would look to rival Emirates, Qatar Airways, and even Etihad, which are considered the big three in the Middle East and obviously occupy the majority of the market share. Instead, Riyadh Air was described two years ago as a startup with great potential across more of your niche markets, and while niche markets will be your focus, you still will see Riyadh Air across major established international cities. And certainly, as we get more information on their initial route map, you'll get a better understanding for where they choose to fly. Unfortunately, the launch of Riyadh Air has been delayed on several occasions. These delays have been really driven by the airline's inability to acquire next-gen planes on time due to supply chain struggles. The company's future fleet will comprise of 39 787 Dreamliners, and also similar to the Dash 1000 deal, there are many additional units available to be activated at a later date. They have also placed orders for the A321neo. 60 jets secured, so therefore, your state-of-the-art single aisle will complement the 787, and later down the line, the A350-1000 will join too. Very exciting news on day one of the 2025 Paris Air Show. If you've got any thoughts, leave them down below in the comments. And for all Boeing fans out there, it's unfortunate we're not getting as much news, but given the set of circumstances, it's understandable. Also, look no further than in the last few weeks, a major trade visit to the Middle East was conducted, and hundreds of aircraft orders were announced then and there. Their presence at this show simply isn't as strong. Either way, keen to hear your take. Has Riyadh Air made the right decision opting for the Dash 1000, or are you in the camp that the 777X would have complemented the 787 better? Thanks for watching. Take care, and I'll hopefully see you in a few hours for more industry news from the 2025 Paris Air Show.