Ink Innovation and Riyadh Air Partner to Rethink Experience for Digital-first Travellers

Riyadh Air, the digitally native national carrier of Saudi Arabia, is joining forces with Ink Innovation to deliver a flexible and convenient air travel experience. Together, they aim to redefine standards of delivery management in a world influenced by e-commerce, cloud computing, and evolving traveller expectations.

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Tony Douglas, CEO of Riyadh Air, said:

“Ink is a key partner to Riyadh Air and continues to foster innovation at every step of the journey. As a like-minded tech-innovator, it is an ideal collaborator as we aim to provide an outstanding digital experience for our guests at their first travel touchpoint.”

Moving beyond legacy systems

Airlines have long struggled with outdated infrastructure—systems built to move passengers from point A to B, but not to delight or adapt. This partnership aims to change that.

Riyadh Air and Ink are implementing a full Delivery Management System aligned with the IATA Modern Airline Retailing (MAR) model. The platform lets you manage and interact with orders in real time, without outdated systems that rely on PNLs or PNRs. This puts travellers in charge of their journeys.

Passengers will be able to make changes on-the-go, add services mid-trip, and connect with third-party content in one streamlined experience. Instead of static, pre-booked trips, travel becomes modular, personal, and responsive.

Proven in the field

The system has already proven its readiness. Riyadh Air achieved its Air Operator Certificate using Ink’s platform, with proving flights across continents. All flight handling, check-in, and load control functions were completed using Ink’s digital tools.

By leveraging mobile-based operations and cloud-native architecture, Riyadh Air teams can respond instantly to passenger or operational needs, whether a last-minute seat change or managing disrupted flights without the drama typical of legacy systems.

From airline to travel ecosystem

The broader ambition goes well beyond the airport terminal experience and check-in upgrade. Ink and Riyadh Air have built their system to connect travellers to hotels, airport transfers, local experiences, and multimodal transport like rail. It is designed to support upselling, cross-selling, and personalised service delivery, all aligned with the modern expectations of today’s traveller.

“We are developing a platform that aligns perfectly with the Modern Airline Retailing model,” said Shawn Richards, CEO and Co-Founder of Ink Innovation. “Our vision for travel is about empowering passengers much more than they are today. We believe that travellers will want the ability to change, enhance, or remove parts of their journey with ease. Right now, that's not possible.”

While many airlines continue to plan digital upgrades and launch Delivery systems in 2027 and beyond, Riyadh Air and Ink will fully deploy this system in 2025.

Ink provides a dynamic platform designed to evolve with passenger travel.

About Riyadh Air

Riyadh Air, owned by PIF, is a world-class airline. Launched in March 2023, the airline will be a digitally led, full-service airline that adopts the best global sustainability and safety practices across its advanced fleet of aircraft. Riyadh Air will connect guests to over 100 destinations around the world by 2030 through offering an exceptional guest experience with an authentic, warm Saudi hospitality at its heart.

Website: www.riyadhair.com

About Ink Innovation (Ink)

Ink provides a dynamic platform of cloud-hosted systems, self-service devices, and mobile/browser-based solutions for airport and airline operations. It is designed to evolve with passenger travel. Founded in 2011, based in Spain, Ink operates globally, partnering with clients such as Copenhagen Airport, JFK Terminal One, Jet2, TUIfly, Marabu, Lift, and Menzies Aviation.

Website: www.innovation.ink.

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