After a short delay, Saudi Arabian Airlines known as Saudia, has received its fifth Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner. The gleaming new plane was due to touch down in Jeddah on Monday, October 12, but a mechanical issue saw it towed back to Boeing’s workshop in Charleston. It was an inauspicious start for the new plane. However, it finally made it to Saudi Arabia a couple of days late, safe and sound.
Saudia confirmed the plane’s arrival into Jeddah’s King Abdulaziz International Airport on Wednesday, October 14. HZ-AR28 is the aircraft’s registration number. The flight headed out of Charleston on Tuesday evening, landing in Jeddah at lunchtime on Wednesday. The trip over the Atlantic was 11,366 km. Flying time was approximately 12 hours.
“There are more new aircraft that will arrive successively during the coming period within the historical program to modernize and increase the fleet and support it with the latest and best aircraft in the world to keep pace with the development and comprehensive and sustainable development programs that the country is witnessing in this prosperous era,” Director General of Saudi Arabian Airlines, Sami bin Ali Sindim, told Saudi news site
According to Alkhaleejtoday, the Dreamliner was piloted by Messers Ali Al-Shehri, Khaled Bukhari, Saeed Al-Ghamdi, and Hazem Al-Abdali.
The reason for the initial delay at Charleston was undisclosed. However, earlier report says, that the aircraft was out on an active taxiway in Charleston when it became “stranded.” After 45 minutes, a tug was sent out to pull the plane back into the hanger. Whatever this issue was, HZ-AR28 was on its way again within days. The 787-10 in integral to Saudia’s modernization plans
Saudia now has five 787-10 Dreamliners. The aircraft are integral to Saudia’s fleet modernization and transformation program. The airline is waiting for a further eight 787-10 Dreamliners. The existing 787-10s will complement the 13 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners Saudia already operates.