As Saudi Arabia’s new flag-carrier, Riyadh Air, prepares for launch, 2025 has been punctuated by exciting partnerships. The airline promises to deliver an industry leading passenger experience, driven by innovative tech and an extensive understanding of its digitally native customer base.

At Aviation Festival Asia in February, Shihaj Kutty, VP Pricing, Revenue Management & Ancillaries, Riyadh Air shared offered insights into the airline’s plans to redefine air travel. Kutty demonstrated how the airline’s modern digital infrastructure will enable bespoke travel solutions:

“One of the classic features of the segment especially in the kingdom and in the region are groups of Travelers who don’t necessarily travel in the same cabin all the time so you would have perhaps the father and mother flying in business and the teenagers flying in economy or premium economy today with the Legacy stack that is out there it’s quite difficult to build such a travel proposition in our world with the digital native IT on which we’re Building architecture that is easily deliverable so that you can actually provide services and products that are very bespoke to what the customer is looking for.

Going beyond personalisation, Kutty explained the importance of contextualisation, ensuring the most relevant services can be tailored to each journey. He also shared Riyadh Air’s vision for its mobile app as a travel companion integrating ancillary products and services for a seamless experience.

Turning to the year ahead, Kutty outlined the airline’s ambitious network expansion and shared some of the strategic MoUs and partnerships with key global players including Singapore Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, Delta, China Eastern, Air China and many more that share in Riyadh’s customer centric vision.

Watch the full interview below now for more.

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Questions asked include:

  1. How are you leveraging your position as a tech-forward carrier, along with Saudi Arabia’s young, digitally-savvy population, to create an innovative and industry-leading guest experience?​
  2. What will this look like in practice – from when passengers are beginning to think about a flight to landing and beyond?​
  3. We know apps can be a powerful tool for both customers and airlines, how are you using the app to unlock customisation and enhance user experience?​
  4. With 2025 marking the launch of Riyadh Air, what can we expect in terms of network expansion, strategic partnerships, and new destinations?​

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