Riyadh Air achieves historic IATA membership | News
Following the successful completion of the first flights to London and Jeddah, Riyadh Air, the new national airline of Saudi Arabia, has now officially become a member of the International Air Transport Association (IATA). This historic milestone, celebrated at the 82nd IATA World Air Transport Summit in Rio de Janeiro, integrates the airline into the global aviation ecosystem and accelerates Riyadh Air’s operational readiness and strengthens its commitment to world-class safety, efficiency and industry collaboration.
Tony Douglas, CEO of Riyadh Air, said: “Becoming an IATA member is a tribute to the dedication and hard work of our teams to meet and exceed the highest industry standards. It gives us a seat at the table alongside fellow airlines from around the world who have been members since the organization was founded in 1945.”
By becoming an IATA member, Riyadh Air joins more than 360 other member airlines from 129 countries and territories, which account for approximately 85% of global air traffic. IATA membership provides airlines with global recognition, standardized operating procedures, simplified interlining and industry-standard training to maximize efficiency and safety, and to share a collective voice in the industry. By joining IATA, airlines are also committing to industry goals such as achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, with sustainability one of Riyadh Air’s key pillars.
“We are pleased to welcome Riyadh Air as an airline member of IATA and congratulate them on this milestone. We look forward to their active contribution to shaping industry priorities and supporting the continued growth of the Saudi Arabian aviation sector and global connectivity,” said Willie Walsh, Director General of IATA.
In line with these environmental goals, Riyadh Air is adopting IATA’s ‘CO2 Connect’ program to provide industry-leading transparency on greenhouse gas emissions. The official agreement to take over the program was signed by Kamil Al-Awadhi, IATA’s Regional Vice President for Africa and the Middle East, and Vincent Coste, Chief Commercial Officer at Riyadh Air. Using actual fuel consumption data and aviation-specific operational statistics instead of generic theoretical models, CO2 Connect calculates highly accurate emissions per flight. This initiative will provide both private passengers and corporate travel managers with verified carbon footprint data, helping them make more informed, environmentally conscious travel decisions.
Riyadh Air received its first three Boeing 787 Dreamliners – two on June 5 and one on June 7, and within days the first of the airline’s new Dreamliners completed its first commercial flight on the Riyadh-London Heathrow route. Daily flights to Jeddah commenced from June 14, followed by upcoming routes to Cairo, Dubai, Jeddah, Madrid and Manchester, with more routes to follow in the coming weeks. The airline will operate routes to more than 100 destinations by 2030 as aircraft deliveries accelerate at an unprecedented pace.
