Travel Market Insights
Is Riyadh Air Heading for Heathrow? What We Know So Far

Riyadh Air could touch down at London Heathrow airport as soon as October. Management at the Saudi start-up carrier has long promised the start of revenue flights before the end of the year, and now we have a major clue about its initial network.
A filing published Wednesday by the airport’s slot coordinator suggests that Riyadh Air could be coming to Europe’s busiest airport. If realized, this would give the airline less than three months to start selling tickets and filling the aircraft.
Here are answers to the key questions about Riyadh Air’s flights to Heathrow:
When is Riyadh Air’s First Flight?
The document from the coordinator ACL states that Riyadh Air will receive the slot as of October 26, 2025. This ties in neatly with the switch to the airline industry’s winter schedule. However, what we don’t know is if this will be the first Riyadh Air commercial service, or if flights to another destination may come first.
What Aircraft Will Riyadh Air Fly?
The ACL filing shows the Saudi airline operating a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner with 288 seats. While the precise configuration could change, this wou
Travel Market Insights
Delta Says It Will Not Use AI to Target Customers

Key Points
- Delta Air Lines clarified it does not use AI to set individualized airfares based on personal data, following criticism from lawmakers.
- The airline uses AI, via a partnership with Fetcherr, to assist in dynamic pricing for a growing portion of its domestic flights, but claims all fares are determined by market dynamics and are publicly available.
- Lawmakers and officials have expressed concerns about potential predatory or ‘surveillance’ pricing, prompting Delta to stress its commitment to fair, competitive pricing and data privacy.
Summary
Delta Air Lines has publicly stated that it does not use AI to set individualized prices based on personal customer data, responding to recent criticism and inquiries from U.S. lawmakers. The airline acknowledged using AI technology, through a partnership with Fetcherr, to assist analysts in setting fares for a portion of its domestic flights, with plans to expand this use. However, Delta emphasized that fares are determined by market competition, not personal data, and all prices are transparently published, aiming to dispel concerns about privacy and potential predatory pricing.
Travel Market Insights
U.S. Dollar Slide Hurts Accor, Minor, and Meliá

Some of the world’s largest hotel companies saw their earnings dented by currency swings in the first half of 2025, as euro and baht-reporting groups absorbed losses while U.S.-based chains appeared largely insulated from the volatility.
Accor, Meliá Hotels, and Minor International all reported currency-related losses that offset solid operational performance. Meanwhile, U.S.-based Hilton and Wyndham, which report in dollars, did not mention foreign exchange impacts in their earnings calls and appeared shielded from the same pressures.
The U.S. dollar index dropped 10.8% in the first half of 2025 following the Trump administration’s April tariffs and public clashes with the Federal Reserve. The resulting investor pullback caused the dollar to weaken sharply against the euro, baht, and other currencies.
Accor: Currency Among Its Biggest Headwinds
Paris-based Accor repo
Travel Market Insights
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