NEOM Airlines To Be To Launched In 2024

The Airline will Be An Extension Of NEOM: The Place, The Company, The vision

"We are there to enable the destination.  "Our goal is a holistic and interconnected approach, with NEOM Airlines enabling the gross domestic product of NEOM," says Goersch, a former chief operating officer of British Airways and Air Canada.

The airline will serve as an ambassador for NEOM.Therefore, it has to be a very good product, and it has to reflect the values of the overall project. It's more than just an airline; it's a brand extension and a linear part of the travel experience because you remember how you got there as well as the destination, according to Goersch.

"NEOM's resorts will be going live in early 2024, so we need to service that demand quickly, initially retrofitting existing aircraft with existing technology. But from 2026 onward, there will be new innovative aircraft—whether electric, hydrogen-powered, or supersonic—and next-generation interiors coming online from us. We are already in discussions with plane, interior, and seat manufacturers," he adds.

In the first instance, the airline will fly out of NEOM Bay Airport, which is already open with Saudia domestic flights as well as flights to London and Dubai, and then from NEOM International Airport.

"Organically, because of the strategic geographical location and level of economic activity here, we expect to have a global aviation hub on our hands in the future, servicing the Middle East, Europe, America, Asia, and so on."

The ambition is that every flight that the airline operates will have some sustainable fuel onboard—originating from mixing facilities at NEOM, says Goersch.

According to him, sustainability will even stretch into the catering, with foods sourced locally from here and delivered via on-demand dining at a time when you actually feel like eating.  We will examine every single component, including carpets and single-use plastics.Little things like this will accumulate and add up to more than the sum of their parts.

The unique position of building an airline and airport from scratch provides the freedom to personalise the customer experience in a way not seen before in the aviation industry, he wrote on the NEOM website.

Speaking further about the journey, he stated, "this legacy-free approach is how we work at NEOM." have no outdated infrastructure or business models to protect, meaning we can provide a personalised service."

"Just imagine if your bags were collected from your home or office and delivered to the hotel or residence you were going to. Imagine if biometrics were advanced enough to recognise you via facial recognition as soon as you walked in a building, clearing you for travel without the need for even going through a gate—let alone having to bother with a visa. And just imagine if the time of your meeting changed by a few hours and you were able to change your flight to a later one without hassle or cost. Better still, imagine you are collecting loyalty points at the airport, where the whole place has lounge-style service, as well as while flying and using the facilities at your destination, because everything is owned by the same company," he adds, giving examples.

"Ours certainly will not be a generic airline; we will be aiming to elevate every single touch point, and your NEOM immersion will start before you even board the plane in London, New York, Paris, and so on. The goal is to make the traveler's journey as seamless as possible. Because we are building a new destination, new airports, and a new airline all at the same time, there is a sense that we can achieve this on a scale that has never been seen before," Goersch concluded.