Riyadh Air CEO promises ‘Mercedes Maybach’ business class

Saudi Arabia’s all-new flag carrier Riyadh Air will take to the skies in the middle of 2025, with a fleet of Boeing 787 Dreamliners crowned by private business class suites and what CEO Tony Douglas promises will be world-beating premium economy recliners.

Douglas – an industry veteran who most recently steered Etihad Airways back into profit, while also launching its new A350 business class and ‘economy plus’ offerings – sat down in his office at Riyadh Air headquarters to give Executive Traveller a glimpse of what passengers can expect.

Why Riyadh Air won’t have first class

Something they can’t expect will be opulent first class suites – a surprising decision, given Saudi Arabia is among the richest states in an already-rich Gulf region built on fortunes of  oil and gas.

After all, Riyadh Air will go up against neighbours and rivals Emirates – a globe-striding colossus which has gilded its reputation with luxe-tinged first class suites and in-flight cocktails bars – and Qatar Airways, which also has new 777 first class suites on the way.

But as he did at Etihad, Douglas has ruled out the lure of posh first class suites in favour of well-appointed and doored business class suites.

Riyadh Air CEO Tony Douglas won't "throw real estate" at first class, opting instead for top-notch business class suites,

“Many global airlines have gone that route because the commercial economics of first class struggle to consistently sustain themselves, and we want to be financially sustainable as well as environmentally sustainable,” Douglas suggests.

Indeed, Douglas believes Riyadh Air’s business class will be closer to the first class experience on many other airlines.

Instead of Riyadh Air first class suites which “need twice the real estate, and by definition would not be commercially sustainable”, Douglas wants to elevate business class to the highest possible standard, “as opposed to throwing real estate (at first class) in a non-financially sustainable way.”

Riyadh Air will crown its Boeing 787s with private business class suites.

A business class that’s closer to first class

To explain the relationship between first class and business class, as well as Riyadh Air’s own take on the premium cabin, Douglas draws an analogy from the automotive world.

“I say to people, in terms of premium product, is a Maybach more premium than an S-Class Mercedes? And everybody says ‘Of course, it’s a Maybach.’”

“But it’s exactly the same chassis, exactly the same wheel base, the dimension from front fender to back fender is exactly the same.”

“It’s the same real estate, it’s just that the Maybach is finished to a different level, which presents the product in terms of the internal experience in a more refined way.”

“So what we’re looking to do, with an obsessional attention to detail with guest experience, is to bring that next level of refinement through how we make you feel.”

Riyadh Air's business class will take design cues from the airline's elegant uniforms.

Riyadh Air’s three classes of 787 seats – business class, premium economy and economy – have been co-created with a high calibre partner and will be revealed towards the end of this year.

So will it match up to the must-have features for modern business class: sliding privacy doors, large HD video screens, wireless charging, fast free WiFi?

“All of the above, “Douglas confirms, pivoting back to his Mercedes analogy, because “that’s your standard S-Class Mercedes. What you'll see (in Riyadh Air business class) will be the Maybach.”

As to design influences, Douglas says “there’s a series of clues in the style of the cabin crew fashion and livery – you can anticipate something that will sit in keeping with that, in regards to the elegance that it represents.”

Riyadh Air's business class will take design cues from the airline's elegant uniforms.

Premium economy that’s closer to business class?

So if Riyadh Air’s business class is analogues to a Mercedes S-Class, might its premium economy be in line with the entry-level A-Class?

Douglas laughs before suggesting a more appropriate metaphor is comparing premium economy to the cabins and seats either side of the curtain.

“When you are looking at premium economy, is it ‘business class minus’ or is it ‘economy plus’?” he poses. “In other words, is it closer to other people's business or is it closer to other people's economy?”

“I would like to think our premium economy is better than other airlines’ business class.”

When it’s put to Douglas that most airlines have lie-flat business class seats, he clarifies “we’re not going to do a lie-flat premium economy.”

“But it’s a step up to ‘business minus’ as opposed to ‘economy plus’.”

Douglas also said Riyadh Air would soon add a major North American airline as a “strategic partner” – joining other partners such as Singapore Airlines and Turkish Airlines – but sees no future in joining Oneworld, SkyTeam or Star Alliance.

Read more on Riyadh Air:

• Riyadh Air says yes to partners, no to alliances
• Where will Riyadh Air fly, and will it be dry?