How Ex-Saudia Aircraft Are Being Transformed Into Luxury Dining Experiences

Middle Eastern airline and current flag carrier of the Kingdom of Saudia Arabia, Saudia
is used to transporting passengers to and from the oil-rich country. However, more recently, the airline’s retired aircraft have been making a comeback. This time, the aircraft are seeing three of its past Boeing 777-200 aircraft, which each have had a tenure of over 18 years in active service, be dismantled in Jeddah
and moved to Riyadh
by road to become part of the airline’s new ‘Boulevard Runway’ project.

Fine dining, without leaving the ground

This brilliant example of sustainability and innovation will see the aircraft repurposed into experiential dining spaces, where guests can interact with a piece of aviation history and have an unforgettable experience.

As part of Riyadh Season 2024, a series of entertainment, cultural, and sporting events in the Saudi Arabian Capital, is all part of the larger Saudi initiative of Saudi Vision 2030. The season will kick off in October and pass through to March. Officially starting on October 12, some highlights this year will see the CAF Super Cup, Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol in the Kingdom Arena, WWE Crown Jewel on November 2, and Oleksandr Usyk vs Tyson Fury 2 later this December.

Covering an area of over 140,000 square meters

The Boulevard Runway location will be adjacent to Boulevard City, covering over 140,000 square meters. Tickets can be purchased online to access the area, and the new zone home to the three converted Boeing 777s will be transformed into restaurants and other activities to entertain the whole family.

As of the Saudi Seasons calendar, the Riyadh Season has become one of the most significant winter entertainment events globally. Last year, the festival had many family-friendly activities like Disney Castle and some bopping Saudi gigs. This year, a new Harry Potter Experience and a delicate Dior Cafe will be at Boulevard World and Wonder Gardens.

Visitors can explore three real-life Boeing 777-200ER’s on an actual runway
, which will be converted into a playground for all ages. Dining will be available in an aircraft or a control tower, where you can become the captain in this interactive experience.

Flight 1661, Sky Siege, and Fun Zone

As announced and reported by the Saudi Gazette, the three planes will be equipped with various foods with specialized international restaurants to cater to all dietary requirements and tastes. Experiences announced by the Saudi Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority (GEA) Turki Al-Sheikh will be composed of three experiences:

  • Flight 1661
  • Sky Siege
  • Fun Zone

Within these zones, ten diverse experiences will be set to wow families into the world of aviation. BLVD Runway will be one of the major draw cards for visitors this year and will allow the guests to explore all the nooks and crannies of these retired aircraft.

Visitors can dine in those very cabins that once transported passengers worldwide. As these aircraft once stood as the pride of the Saudia fleet, their exterior liveries and interior design will remain a monument for the airline’s historic past. Access to this area of Riyadh Season 2024 will be available for entry between 16:00 and 03:00 from October 28.

The three retired Saudia Boeing 777-200ERs

As noted in a previous article published by Simple Flying, the aviation data and statistics website ch-aviation identified the three retired Boeing 777-200ERs that will feature at Riyadh Season’s BLVD Runway, each that were over 25 years old:

  1. The 26.6-year-old Boeing 777-200ER, registered HZ-AKG, was delivered new to Saudi Arabia on March 19, 1998, and retired on September 7, 2016. When it was retired, the aircraft had accumulated 50,127,00 flight hours and 17,995 flight cycles.
  2. The 26.1-year-old Boeing 777-200ER registered HZ-AKK was delivered new to Saudia on September 17, 1998, and retired on September 26, 2016. When it was retired, the aircraft had 49,945,00 flight hours and 20,309 flight cycles.
  3. The 25.6-year-old Boeing 777-200ER, registered as HZ-AKP, was delivered to Saudi Arabia on March 25, 1999, and retired on June 10, 2017. When the aircraft was taken out of service, the aircraft had 52,103,00 flight hours and 21,300 flight cycles.

Be in the chance to win

On the Saudi Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority (GEA) Turki Al-Sheikh’s extremely active X (Formerly Twitter) page, it has been reported (in Arabic) that he will provide a luxury car prize to the Saudi National who posts the best photo of BLVD Runway to their social media platform. The Saudi Gazette has noted that Al-Sheikh has already been actively reposting several photos of those who have captured the aircraft journey from Jeddah, highlighting the enthusiasm that BLVD Runway has created in the lead-up to Riyadh Season.

With an overwhelming response to the competition already, the Chairman has had to reduce the number of luxury cars to the top ten photos.

An epic journey to Riyadh Season 2024

As the three Boeing 777-200
have made their way from Jeddah to Riyadh, they have passed through various cities and regions throughout the Kingdom, and while it started as ground transportation for these aircraft, it has now evolved into an event in itself for many members of the Saudi population.

Throughout the journey, each province had a way of celebrating the aircraft passing through. Excitement and interaction for the local residents have made it more than just a plane passing by on the road, it has now seen unprecedented community interaction.

Depending on local customs, the way locals have welcomed the various aircraft has been remarkable. Celebrations have included wearing traditional clothing, raising Saudi flags, or decorating themselves, which has expressed their pride and patriotism.

Before the aircraft undertook this epic journey, its wings, tail, and nonessential parts were clipped and removed, leaving just the fuselage, which will be the core structures that are installed at BLVD Runway.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *