Skift Take
Riyadh Air and Singapore Airlines' new collaboration is likely one of many to come.
Riyadh Air and Singapore Airlines have signed a commercial collaboration agreement on Tuesday, likely one of many such deals for the Saudi carrier as it opts to build a "virtual network" rather than an Emirates-sized fleet.
For Riyadh Air, the deal could help the airline punch into the Asia markets much quicker when it launches next year. The Saudi airline announced its first and only order in March 2023, with 72 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners. However, Riyadh Air did not announce another order at the packed Dubai Airshow.
Riyadh Air was launched in 2023 by the Kingdom’s crown prince, looking to connect to 100 destinations by 2030 and significantly support the country’s lofty 150 million visitor goal that same year. Headed by the former chief of Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways, the carrier says it wi