Riyadh Air Promotes Captain Aman Bangia to Deputy Chief Pilot – Airbus

Saudi Arabia – Riyadh Air, the new national carrier of Saudi Arabia, has promoted Captain Aman Bangia to Deputy Chief Pilot – Airbus, as the airline advances its dual-fleet pilot training infrastructure alongside the arrival of its first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft.

• Captain Bangia's promotion to Deputy Chief Pilot – Airbus follows his role as Boeing Training Manager (Acting) at Riyadh Air from August 2025 to June 2026, and an initial year as Captain Boeing 787 from September 2024.
• Prior to Riyadh Air, Bangia held multiple senior training and examination roles at Etihad Airways over more than 10 years, including Type Rating Examiner Boeing 787, Manager Pilot Training Recurrent (EBT), Type Rated Examiner A320/A330, and Manager Pilot Training (ATO Programs). He previously served as Line Training Captain and Fleet Supervisor (Training) at IndiGo for nearly five years.
• Riyadh Air has received its first three Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft, with a further three arriving in June, two in July, and then approximately one per month thereafter — from its firm order for 39 Boeing 787-9 jets, part of a wider fleet plan comprising 60 Airbus A321neo and 25 Airbus A350-1000 aircraft.
• The fleet ramp-up has direct training implications, with Riyadh Air simultaneously building its in-house training infrastructure including an MPS-manufactured Airbus A321neo FTD-2 ordered in December 2025 and a February 2026 Employment-First Overseas Scholarship Program in partnership with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's Prescott Campus for Saudi cadet development.
• Riyadh Air plans to serve more than 100 destinations by 2030, with early 787 service planned to cities including London, Cairo, and Jeddah, aligned with Saudi Vision 2030's aviation targets of attracting 150 million visitors and serving 330 million passengers annually.

Source: Riyadh Air (Aman Bangia)