Riyadh Air has turned to fellow Saudi Arabian company, Neo Space Group (NSG), to serve as aero ISP as the start-up carrier rolls out free Wi-Fi to loyalty members on its forthcoming fleet of new Airbus A321neos.
The inflight connectivity deal represents an important win for NSG, whose CEO Martijn Blanken previously confided to RGN that it’s important to be able to “justify your existence in your home market” as well as on the international stage, where the fast-growing firm has won several IFC contracts.
Riyadh Air has a standing order with Airbus for 60 A321neos. The twinjets will be fitted with Airbus’ linefit, supplier-furnished HBCplus IFC system, which uses a terminal based on ThinKom Solutions’ popular multi-orbit Ka2517 VICTS antenna — the same hardware adopted by NSG for its IFC retrofit projects.
Acting as aero ISP on the program, NSG will deploy its advanced Skywaves-branded service, which is powered by partner SES’s multi-orbit MEO/GEO ‘Open Orbits’ satellite network. SES is a managed service provider on the HBCplus program.
Riyadh Air, which is now plying the Riyadh-London Heathrow route, has taken a multi-source approach to inflight connectivity. To wit, it has already selected Viasat’s Ka-band IFC solution for its initial cluster of Boeing 787s.
“Our first Airbus A321 is anticipated in Q4 2026, and our collaboration with NSG ensures every passenger will enjoy a truly connected journey,” says Riyadh Air CEO Adam Boukadida in a statement.
“We are dedicated to setting new global standards for digital aviation, leveraging the ambitious Saudi technical infrastructure that truly brings this partnership to life.”
Together with SES, NSG has won several airline customers for its multi-orbit IFC solution covering both linefit and retrofit programs.
The high-speed service is billed as offering “up to 300 Mbps” on the A321neos.
Owned by PIF, the Kingdom’s Public Investment Fund, NSG is a key part of the growth story of the Saudi Space Economy. Its collaboration with Riyadh Air “supports Vision 2030’s objective of positioning the Kingdom as a global leader in advanced, passenger-centric air travel and a hub for technological excellence in aviation,” says the firm.
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Featured image of NSG CEO Martijn Blanken and Riyadh Air CEO Adam Boukadida credited to NSG
