It will not be long until the brand-new Riyadh Air takes off with passengers and freight. At Routes World in Bahrain, the startup airlines CEO, Tony Douglas, said he hopes to secure the carrier’s air operator’s certificate by the end of 2024. The flying part is nearly finished. As part of it, Riyadh Air’s first Boeing 787-9, 8.8-year-old HZ-ARA, inherited from Saudia, is undertaking proving flights, including flying as far as Kuala Lumpur.