Not that Riyadh Air intends to wade into the fray alone. Behind the scenes the company has been busy recruiting a network of partners which will allow it to sell tickets around the world under its flight code, but who will carry passengers in its own planes for part of the journey.
Riyadh Air last year signed a partnership deal with Turkish Airways, which has the biggest network of any carrier, serving more than 300 destinations in 120 countries.
It has also struck an agreement with sister operator Saudia, based in Jeddah – from where it serves the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca.
Mr Douglas greatly expanded his airline’s support network last week with the announcement of tie-ups with Singapore Airlines, Air China and China Eastern, three of Asia’s biggest carriers, as well as Egyptair.
He said: “At the moment everybody is very, very interested in Saudi Arabia, which has given us a unique position in discussions with the big international A-listers.”
Singapore Air will provide forward links to eight destinations in Australia and three in New Zealand, as well as locations across Southeast Asia. Meanwhile, Turkish Airlines will funnel passengers into central Europe.
Riyadh Air is now targeting a partner in the US, as well as Western Europe and India, as it looks to complete its ring of alliances.
The airline has yet to reveal its own route network but it will serve all the main bases of its partners and, within the first three years, begin flying to every major city in western Europe, northeastern US, the Indian subcontinent and the Far East, as well as the Gulf, he said.
To fulfil this ambition, Riyadh Air has ordered 72 Boeing 787 Dreamliner planes seating 290 people, with the airline also soon expected to announce a raft of new narrow-body jets.