Saudi Arabia to launch new airline ‘RIA’ with $30bn war chest to rival Emirates

[jase05]

On the short hop Singapore/ Brunei return I also found Royal Brunei good. The food was excellent - the Asian variety anyway.

They did have some great fares ex MEL to MNL from time to time and we took a couple of trips with them and thought the food was excellent and couldn’t fault any of the service

 

[Cossie]

This raises complex questions of airlines linked to governments, ethical considerations to do with those governments, and even issues around airlines from other countries that may appear to be giving indirect approval to governments through their continued flying to those countries.

HRW has an agenda, but it makes for some thought-provicting reading: https://www.hrw.org/

There are very few countries with a ‘clean’ record. Even Japan makes the list.

Thanks for this, it does make for interesting if depressing reading.

Not sure if you can compare Qatar with Dubai as far as resources go, I was led to believe that of the all the emirates, Dubai has very little in the way of oil or gas reserves, hence it is trying to make itself a financial capital.

 

[SCM]

This is going to be amazing for competition!

Soon it will be the ME4.

 

[k_sheep]

Love the competition aspect. I will continue to refuse to spend a single cent on Saudi. Even boycotted watching the F1 there (and I'm a diehard fan).

 

[SCM]

I really hope everyone boycotting this airline will result in cheaper airfares for the rest of us!