Riyadh Air Debuts Saudi Arabia's First 47-Seat Electric Coach, Aiming For Sustainable Aviation

Riyadh Air, Saudi Arabia's new digitally native airline, has introduced its first fleet of electric coaches for employee transport. This initiative aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and reflects the airline's commitment to sustainable aviation practices. Riyadh Air joined the UN Global Compact earlier in 2024, pledging to adopt all 17 goals.

This initiative is a collaboration with the National Transportation Solutions Company (NTSC), a division of Petromin Corporation, and TAM-Europe. These partners provide digital solutions to enable sustainable public transport. The goal is to reduce the airline's environmental footprint through convenient and green daily commutes.

Image Courtesy: Riyadh Air

The launch event was attended by Tony Douglas, CEO of Riyadh Air; Kalyana Sivagnanam, Group CEO of Petromin Corporation; and Gary B. Flom, CEO of Petromin National Transportation Solutions Company. The electric buses will facilitate eco-friendly commutes for Riyadh Air staff and aircrew across the Saudi capital.

Kalyana Sivagnanam expressed pride in this strategic partnership, stating: "We are proud to have this partnership for sustainable mobility with Riyadh Air and contribute to their efforts to reach sustainability goals. This is a remarkable airline with environmental responsibility embedded in their DNA."

According to the International Energy Agency, private cars and vans accounted for over a quarter of global oil use in 2022 and about 10% of global energy-related carbon emissions. By investing in electric vehicles and carpooling services, Riyadh Air aims to promote fuel efficiency and decrease individual car usage on the capital's roads.

Tony Douglas emphasized the importance of sustainable practices: "Every effort we make to champion sustainable practices counts in our collective fight against climate change." He added that sustainability is integral to Riyadh Air's operations, from managing fuel efficiency in flight to reducing ground-level carbon emissions.

This initiative follows an agreement for Riyadh Air to adopt GE Aerospace's suite of flight operations software solutions: Safety Insight, Fuel Insight, and FlightPulse®. Announced in July, this partnership will provide data-driven analytics to optimize fuel consumption, enhance safety measures, and support sustainability initiatives.

Riyadh Air plans to begin commercial operations in mid-2025 at King Khalid International Airport. As part of Saudi Arabia's mission to establish a global aviation hub, the airline aims to connect the country to one hundred regional and international destinations by 2030. This plan leverages Saudi Arabia's strategic location between Asia, Africa, and Europe.

"Sustainability is embedded in our DNA," said Tony Douglas. "We will reflect this across all Riyadh Air's operations." Investing in electric coaches is an early step towards offsetting their environmental footprint as they strive towards the aviation industry's global net-zero agenda.