Saudi Arabia’s new national airline, Riyadh Air, has officially launched

After more than a year of delays, Saudi Arabia's second national airline, Riyadh Air, has finally officially launched.

Qatar-based media outlet Al Jazeera reported on Wednesday (June 10).

A Boeing 787 Dreamliner bound for London from Riyadh took off at 2:30 a.m. local time on Tuesday (June 9). The aircraft was decorated with Riyadh Air's white and light purple livery.

As Saudi Arabia's second state-owned airline, Riyadh Air aims to develop the capital Riyadh into a global aviation hub.

Although it was planned to open in 2025, the project was delayed due to Boeing's supply delays and production and safety issues. In addition, Iran has recently launched thousands of drone and missile attacks on various facilities including airports in the Gulf region, which has further increased economic and security uncertainty throughout the region.