Riyadh Air, Saudi Arabia’s new digitally native airline is fully committed to sustainable aviation practices and launched the first in a fleet of electric coaches for employee transport. These efforts reflect the carrier’s firm commitment to adopt all 17 of the United Nations Sustainable Development goals having signed up to the UN Global Compact earlier in 2024.
Launched in partnership with National Transportation Solutions Company, “NTSC,” a division of the Petromin Corporation and TAM-Europe, a provider of digital solutions to enable sustainable public transport. The fleet of electric buses will facilitate the convenient and eco-friendly daily commute of Riyadh Air staff and aircrew across the Saudi capital as part of an effort to lower the airline’s environmental footprint.
The launch of the state-of-the-art fleet was attended by Tony Douglas, CEO of Riyadh Air; Kalyana Sivagnanam, Group CEO of Petromin Corporations; and Gary B. Flom, CEO of Petromin National Transportation Solutions Company.
“Every effort we make to champion sustainable practices counts in our collective fight against climate change,” said Tony Douglas, CEO of Riyadh Air.
“Sustainability is embedded in our DNA and we will reflect this across all Riyadh Air’s operations, from managing fuel efficiency in the sky to reducing carbon emissions on the ground. Investing in electric coaches is just one early initiative we can introduce to offset our environmental footprint as we demonstrate we will be a leader in helping achieve the aviation industry’s global net-zero agenda.” said Kalyana Sivagnanam, the Group CEO of Petromin Corporation, voiced his pride in the strategic partnership with Riyadh Air and stated: “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 are responsible for over a quarter of global oil use in 2022 and approximately 10% of global energy-related carbon emissions. By investing in electric vehicles and carpooling services, Riyadh Air will promote fuel efficiency and reduce the number of individual cars on the capital’s roads.
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®. This strategic partnership, announced this July, will equip the airline with data-driven analytics to optimize fuel consumption, enhance safety measures, and reinforce its sustainability initiatives.
Riyadh Air will launch commercial operations in mid-2025 at the King Khalid International Airport. An integral part of Saudi Arabia’s mission to create a global aviation hub, the world-class digitally native start-up airline aims to connect the country to one hundred regional and international destinations by 2030, leveraging the kingdom’s strategic location between Asia, Africa and Europe.
Tags: Kalyana Sivagnanam, Petromin Corporation, Tony Douglas, Riyadh Air
