Skift Take
Who isn't excited for a new story? Riyadh Air CEO Tony Douglas vows to upend status quo
Global connectivity, hyper personalization, an improved loyalty program, an airline built for digital natives — these are some of the promises Riyadh Air is making to its future fliers.
But perhaps the more peculiar ones would be the airline’s decision to have no first class, a premium economy that’s better than any other airline’s business class and no cabin crew uniforms. Instead, the crew will have attire specially-outfitted fashion by a designer, with more details to follow next year.
“First class for many international carriers is an egotistical charitable act, which is not commercially sustainable,” CEO of Riyadh Air Tony Douglas said at Skift Global Forum East on Thursday. “I think when you see our Premium Economy, most of you will conclude that it's be