Saudia recently relocated 3 of its retired Boeing 777s aircraft from Jeddah Airport (JED) to Riyadh (RUH), where they will be stripped of any remaining useful parts. These aircraft fuselages will then be used for a new tourist attraction named ‘Boulevard Runway.’

Rather than flying the aircraft between the two cities, Saudia chose a unique approach by transporting the three widebody planes via large trucks. According to images posted on social media platform X, the nearly intact fuselages were lifted by cranes onto the trucks’ trailers for the 530-mile (850 km) journey from Jeddah to Riyadh. The planes, all Boeing 777-200ER variants, previously carried 341 passengers in their three-class configurations.

The transport operation involved moving the three Boeing 777-200ERs on a journey of nearly 1,000 kilometers, far slower than their regular cruising speed of 905 km/h when in service. The size of these aircraft presents several challenges, with each plane measuring approximately 64 meters in length and 6.2 meters in fuselage width.

To put these dimensions into perspective, the length of each aircraft is equivalent to 13 Camry 2025 cars placed end-to-end, while the fuselage width exceeds that of three cars placed side by side. The greatest challenge, however, lies in the height of the aircraft, which exceeds 6 meters. When combined with the height of the trucks used for transportation, the overall height surpasses the clearance of most bridges, necessitating a longer route to avoid certain overpasses.

Transporting retired aircraft by road is not uncommon worldwide, but this may be the first time that three aircraft of this size have been moved simultaneously without disassembling their fuselages.

The first aircraft, registered as HZ-AKG, is 26.6 years old and was delivered to Saudia in March 1998. It was retired from service in September 2016 and has been stored at Jeddah since then. The second, HZ-AKK, is 26.1 years old, having entered service in September 1998. Like HZ-AKG, it was withdrawn from service in September 2016 after 18 years of operation. The last of the trio, HZ-AKP, was delivered in March 1999, making it the youngest at 25.6 years old. It served passengers until June 2017, marking the end of its operational life with Saudia.

Photos shared on X reveal the aircraft with their wings, tails, and horizontal stabilizers removed. Cranes were used to lift the remaining sections of the aircraft onto the trailers, initiating their final road journey.

The Saudia 3 retired Boeing 777s have since been replaced by Saudia with more modern aircraft, including 37 larger Boeing 777-300ERs and newer Boeing 787s.

The Boulevard Runway project, first announced as part of Riyadh Season 2023, is set to feature prominently in the 2024 season, as confirmed in August 2024 by Turki Al Shikh. This new entertainment zone is being developed in collaboration between Riyadh Season and Saudia, offering an exciting experience for travel enthusiasts.

The area will house five stationary aircraft, including the three repurposed Boeing 777s, which will be transformed into attractions such as restaurants and entertainment venues.

Visitors to Boulevard Runway can look forward to luxurious experiences aboard these aircraft without the typical hassles of air travel—no boarding passes, luggage, or passports required. The entertainment zone is expected to offer a range of unique experiences, including gaming events and immersive aircraft-related activities for families. Spanning 140,000 square meters, Boulevard Runway will be located across from Boulevard City and promises to be a major highlight of Riyadh Season.

Source:

• Aviation World Group (AviationWG)