The Unscripted Riyadh Air Truth: Big Show, Bigger Fail?

• Airline: Riyadh Air
• Class: Business & Economy
• Route: London (LHR) to Jeddah (JED) via Riyadh (RUH)
• Aircraft: Boeing 787-9

Tony Douglas promised us a “new travel era” with the launch of Saudi Arabia’s new carrier, Riyadh Air. But after flying both their Economy and Business Class products, the reality behind aviation’s biggest PR campaign turned out to be a very bumpy ride.

From dirty seats and broken tech to an aggressive no-filming policy and a pass to a lounge that literally didn’t exist, Riyadh Air is currently overpromising and underdelivering.

Here is the unscripted truth of what it’s actually like to fly them.

The Hard Product is World-Class…

Stepping onto the brand-new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, the hardware immediately impresses. The economy cabin features a massive, ultra-crisp 4K Ultra HD screen—easily the sharpest display I have ever seen on an aircraft. Combined with comfortable seat padding and a solid recline, the physical comfort is on par with any top-tier global airline.

…But the Atmosphere is Robotic

The service, however, felt entirely different. Riyadh Air is obsessed with controlling its narrative. At check-in, the ground staff firmly shut down my camera, declaring that independent media needs strict corporate permission to document the flight.

That paranoia trickles down to the cabin crew, who appeared tense, stressed, and terrified of breaking protocol. Instead of a warm, welcoming environment, the vibe on board felt completely robotic.

To top it all off, the flight ended with one of the roughest landings I’ve ever experienced—a zero-flare touchdown so violent that half the tray tables dropped open and an oxygen mask actually deployed in the cabin.

The Premium Experience Unravels

If Economy was tense, Business Class is where the operational cracks completely showed.

After paying premium money for a business class ticket, I was directed past security to the lounge, only to walk straight into an active, dusty construction site. After wandering the terminal, the airport information desk gave me the real story: Riyadh Air doesn’t actually have a domestic lounge yet. I ended up spending my pre-flight premium time sitting at Starbucks.

Stunning Seats, Disgusting Cleanliness

The 787 Business Class cabin looks spectacular, configured with 24 private suites featuring built-in headrest speakers. But the premium illusion shattered when I looked closer at my seat:

• A spilled drink from a previous flight was left uncleaned on the console.
• A used toothpick was left sitting right next to the seat controls.

For a brand-new airline aiming for a five-star reputation, leaving a aircraft dirty after it sat on the tarmac for hours is unacceptable. Adding to the frustration, the entire inflight entertainment system suffered a total tech meltdown mid-flight, leaving the audio completely broken.

The Saving Grace: World-Class Dining

The one area where Riyadh Air absolutely scored a 5 out of 5 was the food. The cheese ravioli with asparagus was beautifully presented and delicious. Even better, they served a phenomenal iced coffee, a first for me across nearly 1,000 flights and 255 airlines.

Riyadh Air has all the money in the world. They can buy gorgeous designer uniforms, stunning 4K screens, and top-tier catering, but billions of dollars cannot instantly buy operational excellence or authentic human hospitality.

Right now, they are heavily relying on an anti-filming policy to hide their teething issues and control what the public sees. I’m sure they will invite plenty of mega-influencers to create polished, scripted propaganda pieces soon. But until they fix their rigid crew culture, glaring cleanliness issues, and ground communication failures, Riyadh Air remains a big show with a very hard landing.

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This is it guys, wherever you’re off to, have a safe trip!