A new airline just launched flights to London – but you can’t book tickets yet A new airline just launched flights to London – but you can’t book tickets yet

A new airline – Riyadh Air – has launched its inaugural flights to London, but there’s a catch: You can’t book a ticket just yet.

The airline, which is Saudi Arabia‘s second flag carrier, will now operate daily flights between London Heathrow and Riyadh, but only “select groups” and Riyadh Air employees will be allowed on board.

The airline has launched the flights for two reasons: One, they can be used to train staff and ensure cabin crew are ready for Riyadh Air’s first flights open to the public. Two, they must utilise the landing slot they have at London Heathrow, or they face losing it.

If an airline does not use enough of its slot allocations at an airport, they may be given to another airline. This practice has lead to the operation of ghost flights, which were common during the pandemic, with around 15,000 taking off from the UK between March 2020 and September 2021.

No exact date has been announced for the launch of flights that are open to the public, but Riyadh Air’s CEO Tony Douglas has said the airline is “incredibly close to full operations”, with more routes set to be announced for this winter.

He said, “This isn’t just a launch; it’s a tangible realization of a vision to connect Saudi Arabia to the world, a core pillar of Saudi Vision 2030.

“Our commitment to begin operations in 2025 is being fulfilled. This rigorous flight program on Jamila allows us to fine-tune every detail, ensuring a seamless, reliable, and world-class experience. This carefully sequenced approach is our pathway to perfect, and we are now incredibly close to full operations with further destinations to be announced in the coming weeks as our new aircraft are delivered.”

Middle Eastern hubs such as Qatar’s Hamad International Airport, Dubai International Airport and Abu Dhabi International Airport are popular layover destinations for those looking to travel from Europe to Asia. Saudia, Saudi Arabia’s first flag carrier, already operates flights to Asian destinations including Beijing, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Manila and Seoul.

While Riyadh Air’s destination map has yet to be revealed, the airline has said it plans to launch flights to 100+ destinations by 2030.

Flights will leave Riyadh at 3.15am, arriving in London at 7.30am. The return flight will leave at 9.30am, arriving back in Riyadh at 7.15pm.

The news comes as Delta announced a new direct flight between Atlanta and Riyadh. Set to launch in winter next year, the flight will operate thrice weekly.

Virgin Atlantic launched daily direct flights between Riyadh and London in March this year; Wizz Air launched flights between Gatwick and Medina in August.

More information: riyadhair.com

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