Riyadh Air gets off ground 

Saudi Arabia launched its second national carrier, Riyadh Air, on Wednesday after more than a year of delays, defying the economic turmoil triggered by the war in the Middle East and strong competition from established Gulf airlines.

A London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner in Riyadh Air’s white and lavender livery took off at 2:30 am (2330 GMT Tuesday), putting in motion a flagship project in Saudi Arabia’s push to reduce its economic reliance on oil.

Riyadh Air, the country’s second state-owned airline after Jeddah-based Saudia, is meant to help turn the Saudi capital into a global hub to rival Dubai, the world’s busiest for international passengers.

“We want to bring glamour, we want to bring refinement, we want to bring grace back,” Riyadh Air CEO Tony Douglas told AFP.