Summary
- Saudia Group orders 105 Airbus A320neo family aircraft to meet growing demand for air travel.
- The deal increases the group’s backlog to 144 aircraft with delivery dates unspecified; the deal’s value was not disclosed.
- Both Saudia and flyadeal operate Airbus A320 family jets, aligning with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and enhancing its tourism sector.
Saudia Group, which owns the Saudia airline and budget carrier flyadeal, will expand its fleet by ordering 105 Airbus A320neo family aircraft, including 12 Airbus A320neos and 93 Airbus A321neos. This new order comes as the airline group aims to meet the growing demand for air travel and to sustain its increasing operational goals.
This new order for Airbus narrowbodies increases Saudia Group’s backlog to 144 A320neo family aircraft. However, the exact delivery time has not been specified. The value of the deal between Saudia Group and Airbus was not disclosed by either party.
It is worth noting that both airlines, Saudia and flyadeal, operate aircraft from the Airbus A320 family. In 2019, Flyadeal opted out of a plan to purchase Boeing 737 MAX jets. Currently, Saudia operates a total of 96 Airbus jets, while flyadeal has 35 Airbus jets in its fleet, according to Planespotters.net.
In November 2023, Saudia said it was nearing an agreement to order 100 narrowbody aircraft but sought the manufacturer’s commitment to supply additional 50-plus jets. The manufacturer was not specified at the time.
Ambitious operational goals
The order was announced on May 20, 2024, at the Future Aviation Forum in Riyadh. During the event, HE Engr. Ibrahim Al-Omar, Director General of Saudia Group, stated that Saudi Arabia’s flag carrier is currently increasing flights and seat capacity across its more than 100 destinations on four continents, with further expansion plans in the works.
This aircraft order also aligns with Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia’s strategic framework aimed at diversifying the economy, reducing dependence on oil, and developing better public service sectors such as health, education, infrastructure, recreation, and tourism. Commenting on the news, Ibrahim Al-Omar added:
“The progress of Saudi Vision 2030 is attracting more visits, tourists, entrepreneurs, and pilgrims each year. This motivated our decision to secure this significant deal, which will create jobs, increase local content, and contribute to the national economy.”
Additionally, the Saudi National Tourism Strategy aims to attract over 150 million tourists by 2030. This Airbus order could significantly contribute to the country’s goal of becoming a leading global tourism destination.
Riyadh Air is also in search of narrowbody jets
Riyadh Air, the Saudi Arabian airline set to commence operations in 2025, is also strategizing a new narrowbody jet order without specifying the manufacturer from which it intends to make the purchase.
Photo: Riyadh Air
Vincent Coste, Riyadh Air’s Chief Commercial Officer (CCO), stated that the airline’s narrowbody jet order is expected to be finalized in the coming weeks. Coste emphasized that Riyadh Air is not under pressure to make the announcement promptly and declined to disclose whether the order would be with Airbus or Boeing.
So far, Riyadh Air has only ordered the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners for its scheduled start of operations in 2025.
Related
Airbus Or Boeing? Riyadh Air Plans New Narrow-Body Jet Order Amid Tight Supply
The airline’s executive did not detail which manufacturer it is planning to order from.
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