RIYADH — Saudi Arabia's new airline, Riyadh Air, announced that it would start test flights from Riyadh to Jeddah on Thursday as part of its Air Operator Certificate (AOC) process required by the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA). The airline will be using a leased B787-9 aircraft from Saudia Airlines to fly to several domestic & international destinations. This is part of the procedures of proving flights prior to the start of commercial flights in 2025. In a statement posted on social media, Riyadh Air said on Wednesday, Sept. 11: "Tomorrow is a historic day for Riyadh Air as we start noncommercial flights from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's capital city, Riyadh, as part of our AOC (Air Operator Certificate) process required by the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA)". "Over the coming months, we will be operating a number of rotations to domestic and international destinations as part of the flying program, with the first flight RX5001 departing King Khalid International Airport for Jeddah's King Abdulaziz International Airport on Thursday, 12 September". "A huge thanks to our key stakeholders, who have helped us prepare for this moment: our regulator GACA for their ongoing oversight, our friends at Saudia Airlines from whom we have leased the 787-9 aircraft, our partners Riyadh Airports Company for their comprehensive support, Saudi Technic for ensuring the planes are in optimal condition for our crew, and Alsalam Aerospace Industries Company for providing hangar facilities and support in Riyadh," the airline said while noting that this marks another important milestone in its journey to its maiden flight in 2025.
