Riyadh Air Unveils Business Class To Rival Emirates, Qatar

Riyadh Air, Saudi Arabia's new airline, unveiled its luxurious business class seats at the Jeddah Yacht Club during the F1 weekend, aiming to rival Emirates and Qatar Airways. The cabin features privacy panels, lie-flat seats, mood lighting, and high-speed Wi-Fi, reflecting Arabian’s heritage. While alcohol won't be served, the airline emphasizes unique design elements to distinguish itself.

As motorsport enthusiasts and high-net-worth individuals flocked to Saudi Arabia for the F1 weekend, Riyadh Air used the event as a backdrop for a big unveiling. On April 19, at the Jeddah Yacht Club, it showed off the seats that will soon fill the front of its planes, a plush business class curated to lure luxury learning away from Emirates and Qatar Airways, the industry's heavy hitters.

The start-up carrier, which is set to fly near the end of this year, offered a first glimpse of the designs for the five-star service it plans to deliver. The cabin includes privacy panels, lie-flat seats, mood lighting, large screens and high-speed Wi-Fi, all cloaked in a colour palette of deep purples, gold and stone. The interiors are inspired by the twisting canopies of traditional Arabian tents, with colours and materials that mirror Saudi heritage.

While the stars are similar to those of Riyadh Air's Gulf rivals in terms of spaciousness, the airline flies in the skies. The airline has not unveiled the details, amenity kit partners or food and beverage options.

However, it is already understood that no Champagne will be served onboard since alcohol is prohibited in the Muslim Kingdom. The cabins were designed with visual cues like the detailing on top of the seats, the stitching of the fabric and the seat number panels meant to make it stand out among competitors, Chief Executive Officer Tony Douglas said in an interview. "If you have ever seen it once before, straight away you are going to know it's Riyadh Air because nobody else's looks anything like that," he added.

Riyadh Air's reveal, set against a backdrop of superyachts and the roar of engines in Jeddah, understood Saudi Arabia's broader push to become a luxury destination catering to affluent travellers. The airline owned by the kingdom's Public Investment Fund is set to play a central role in actualizing that goal.

The once closed-off Saudi Arabia is pouring billions into ultra-premium resorts, marquee sporting events, music festivals and cultural landmarks. There is a ski resort in the multi-billion-dollar planned city of Neon, overwater bungalow-style resorts on the Red Sea described by some luxury travel agents as Maldives killers and even the world's richest horse race, the $20 million Saudi Cup. With attractions like this, the kingdom hopes its investments will yield more than 150 million tourists annually by the decade's end.

But it will take time before anyone can book the airline's Indigo business class berths. While Riyadh Air recently got regulatory approval to fly, the company has yet to receive its first jet from Boeing Co. Supply chain issues and setbacks at the US plane maker have pushed the airline's launch to the end of the year.

The airline will roll out the cabins on its Boeing 787s, making them the prime offering in a three-class configuration: business, premium economy, and economy. Each jet will accommodate 290 passengers, with nearly 10% of the capacity allocated for business class, similar to what Emirates has in its new Airbus SE A350S.

While Riyadh Air plans to have a first-class cabin once it buys extra-large jets, it is not alone in choosing to forgo first class on some of its aircraft models. Many other carriers have determined that it is an unnecessary indulgence that takes up too much space and weight, and whose perks are often equated with those of the sumptuous business class. Qatar Airways, which routinely wins awards for its luxurious comforts, has poured resources into its QSuite business class; it also has lie-flat seats and enclosed passenger nooks.

Among the airlines rushing to upgrade their first-class offerings are Deutsche Lufthansa AG, which is rolling out its Allegris product featuring a fully enclosed first-class cabin, and Air France's La Premier, which the airline says is akin to being on a private jet. British Airways is an aircraft that is no longer produced. In what will prove a real test for Riyadh Air's ability to court high-spending targets, they all offer service to Saudi Arabia.

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