VOI World/ Desk
Saudi Arabia’s newest full-service carrier, Riyadh Air, plans to expand its presence in India by launching services to a second Indian destination before the end of the year, reinforcing the country’s importance in one of the region’s busiest international aviation markets.
The announcement comes a day after the airline launched its daily Mumbai-Riyadh service. Vincent Coste, Riyadh Air’s Chief Commercial Officer, said the carrier aims to operate flights to two Indian cities by year-end, subject to regulatory approvals.
Owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), Riyadh Air is positioning itself as a premium full-service airline targeting business travellers and high-yield passengers rather than competing for the broader low-cost market. The airline also plans to leverage the cargo capacity of its Boeing 787-9 fleet to strengthen trade links between India and Saudi Arabia.
“We aim at capturing a significant share of the premium traffic between India and Saudi Arabia,” Coste said, adding that the airline’s business class, premium economy offering and widebody operations would help differentiate it from existing competitors.
India remains one of Saudi Arabia’s most important international aviation markets, driven by strong business ties, tourism, religious travel and a large Indian diaspora in the Kingdom. The expansion is expected to further improve connectivity between the two countries while supporting growing passenger and cargo demand.
Riyadh Air forms a key part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 strategy, which seeks to transform the Kingdom into a global aviation and logistics hub by significantly expanding international air connectivity.
The planned addition of a second Indian destination underscores the growing strategic importance of the India-Saudi aviation corridor as airlines compete to serve one of the world’s fastest-growing international travel markets.
