Saudi Arabia's Riyadh Air wins US flight approval: What to know
The approval follows Riyadh Air’s first commercial flights as the carrier pushes to establish a foothold in lucrative global aviation markets despite industry turbulence linked to the US-Israel-Iran war.
Saudi Arabia's new national airline, Riyadh Air, secured regulatory approval to operate flights to and from the United States on Tuesday, marking another milestone for the carrier as it launches into a global aviation industry that faces strong headwinds.
The approval comes less than a week after Riyadh Air began commercial operations with flights to London Heathrow and days after launching domestic services between Riyadh and Jeddah, bringing forward plans that earlier this month had pointed to a July 1 commercial debut.
The new carrier weathered a series of delays in the years leading up to its market debut, which is proceeding as the Middle East’s aviation sector continues to grapple with the fallout from the US-Israel-Iran war despite progress toward a deal to end it.
What happened: The US Department of Transportation granted Riyadh Air a foreign air carrier permit to conduct scheduled and charter passenger, cargo and mail services between Saudi Arabia and the United States, saying the approval was "consistent with the public interest."
