Originally Posted by
Sky Hooker
RIA is occurring, but those who comment on KSA have no knowledge of it and are biased against the country. MBS envisions Riyadh being transformed into a global hub by 2030. Regarding East-West connectivity, the nation is a sleeping giant. I have lived in this country for over a decade and have witnessed its development and transformation. Among other places, Saudi women drive and work in restaurants, supermarkets, and airports. Given that 70% of the population is under the age of 30, watching economic growth over the next 10 to 15 years will be fascinating. Years were required to establish the Emirates and Qatar brands. Saudi Arabia has never prioritized tourism or increased its air operations. With visas available upon arrival, it is no longer necessary for us to transfer all of our religious passengers to other airlines. Imagine how much revenue 1-2% of passengers annually traveling between the west and the east will generate in 2030 when more than 25% of the world's population will be Muslim. Neom is a PIF project that has already generated considerable interest. With the recent announcement that Aramco, the largest company in the world based on market capitalization, will move its headquarters to Riyadh, all Dubai-based companies must relocate to Riyadh by 2024 in order to be eligible for future contracts. In the Saudi Arabian capital, Riyadh, there is a flourishing financial district of international caliber. Saudia will focus on Jeddah, while RIA will expand in Riyadh. We aim for 300 million passengers per year, and if you run the numbers, double-digit growth is inevitable. With PIF backing, I have no doubt that this massive airline project will succeed. I urge you to travel to KSA, where the transformations will astound you.
I’m afraid you’re using logic and an open mind. Most people in the west are quite the opposite, in fact they’re very bigoted. If you read previous comments online and on this forum, the bigot minded westerners are narrow minded towards alcohol free practice in Saudi. What they fail to realise is that Saudi is no longer as strict as it used to be. They are working towards a more liberal way of living to align themselves with western values. RIA will not be an alcohol free airline, and it will be a matter of time until prostitution will be widespread in the Saudi kingdom. Those who follow world politics will know that there is a major world shift of power on the horizon. Oil is beginning to run out in Saudi and the US dollars is protected against the worldwide oil sale. There are actually more dollars outside of US than inside the country. China and India will lead the way towards a new super power stretch and Western alliances will be stuck in slow economies and a wider gap between the rich and the poor. RIA with its treasure chest will tap into a world market including a futuristic city, islands in the Red Sea and layover breaks in a very modern western set up. I will be extremely surprised if Etihad survive the competition in the next 10 years. A merger with Emirates will be inevitable.