Virgin Atlantic and Riyadh Air sign agreement to expand connectivity and premium travel between London, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and beyond
Virgin Atlantic and Riyadh Air to strengthen connectivity and harness future growth opportunities for both carriers
Agreement will enhance competition with new travel choices for customers, including Virgin Atlantic’s new service between London Heathrow and Riyadh
Virgin Atlantic and Riyadh Air have signed a Strategic Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding, with the goal of introducing an array of benefits for customers traveling between London, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and destinations beyond.
The agreement, signed yesterday at a ceremony at Riyadh Air’s Headquarters in Riyadh, is the first stage in the strategic partnership that will enable both airlines to strengthen connectivity, expand their networks and enhance customer experience.
The agreement lays the foundations for a long-term relationship, subject to regulatory approvals, that includes interline and codeshare connectivity, as well as a potential deeper partnership which could encompass loyalty benefits.
The partnership will open new destinations in Saudi Arabia and beyond for Virgin Atlantic customers, which includes its new service between London Heathrow and King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.
Shai Weiss, Chief Executive Officer at Virgin Atlantic, commented;
“Following on from the announcement of our new services from London to Riyadh, we’re committed to working with the best partners in the region, to ensure our first route to Saudi Arabia delivers choice to our customers. We’re looking forward to working closely with Riyadh Air as they embark on their journey into the skies.”
Tony Douglas, Riyadh Air CEO said:
“Our partnership with Virgin Atlantic will help us collectively provide additional connectivity to the Kingdom. Riyadh Air has signed agreements with a number of strong global partners around the world, most recently Delta Air Lines, and Virgin Atlantic’s network will assist our growth to and from Saudi Arabia as we enter service in summer 2025.”
The new partnership aims to capitalise on the huge growth taking place as part of Saudi Vision 2030. Air travel between the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia is forecast to grow 24% between 2019-2035 whilst annual trade between the UK and Saudi Arabia was worth £17.1 billion in 2023 with the ambition to reach £30 billion of trade by 2030. The new service will also connect family and friends with a recent fivefold increase in Saudis living in UK between 2000 and 2018.
Riyadh Air, which will begin operations in 2025, is committed to building a premier carrier for customers traveling to and from the Middle East, with its base of operations in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia.
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About Virgin Atlantic
Virgin Atlantic was founded by entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson in 1984, with innovation and amazing customer service at its core. In 2023, Virgin Atlantic was voted Britain’s only Global Five Star Airline by APEX for the seventh year running in the Official Airline Ratings. Headquartered in London, it employs 8,500 people worldwide, flying customers to 30 destinations across four continents throughout the year.
Alongside shareholder and Joint Venture partner Delta Air Lines, Virgin Atlantic operates a leading transatlantic network, with onward connections to over 200 cities around the world. In February 2020, Air France-KLM, Delta Air Lines and Virgin Atlantic launched an expanded Joint Venture, offering a comprehensive route network, convenient flight schedules, competitive fares and reciprocal frequent flyer benefits, including the ability to earn and redeem miles across all carriers. Virgin Atlantic joined SkyTeam in March 2023 as the global airline alliance’s first and only UK member airline, enhancing the alliance’s transatlantic network and services to and from Heathrow and Manchester Airport.
Virgin Atlantic has been pioneering sustainability leadership for more than 15 years, committing to Net Zero by 2050 and continuous action that reduces environmental impact. The airline operates one of the youngest and most fuel-efficient fleets in the skies, with an average age under seven years. In March 2024, Virgin Atlantic welcomed Wendy Darling, the 11th delivery of 12 A350s, and Ruby Rebel, the 5th of 1 A330-900neos to the fleet, continuing its transformation towards 100% next generation aircraft by 2028. In November 2023, the airline led a consortium to deliver the world’s first flight across the Atlantic on 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), demonstrating that 100% SAF can be used safely as a drop in fuel in existing infrastructure, engines and airframes. The need to scale production is imperative and Virgin Atlantic is committed to radical collaboration across the energy chain to support commercialisation ahead of 2030.
For more information visit www.virginatlantic.com or via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @virginatlantic.
About Riyadh Air
Riyadh Air, a PIF company, is a world-class airline. Launched in March 2023, the airline will be a digitally led, full-service airline that adopts the best global sustainability and safety practices across its advanced fleet of aircraft. Riyadh Air will equip its aircraft with the most advanced, state-of-the-art features with innovative, best-in-class cabin interiors and experiences, including next generation digital in-flight entertainment systems and connectivity solutions. Riyadh Air will connect guests to over 100 destinations around the world by 2030 through offering an exceptional guest experience with an authentic, warm Saudi hospitality at its heart.
Website: www.riyadhair.com