Riyadh: Saudi Arabia‘s national airline, Saudia Group, has placed an order for 105 Airbus planes, marking the largest aircraft deal in the history of the Kingdom’s aviation.
The agreement was made on Monday, May 20, on the first day of the “Future of Aviation” forum held at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Centre in Riyadh.
In a statement, Saudia said that the order “represents an important moment, not only for the Saudi aviation industry but also for the Middle East and North Africa region on a broader scale.”
Saudia will receive 54 A321neo aircraft, while Flyadeal will receive 12 A320neo aircraft and 39 A321neo aircraft.
In a conference, the General Manager of the Saudi Group, Ibrahim Al-Omar, said that the delivery of the aircraft is scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2026, with the last of them to be delivered in 2032.
While the value of the deal was not disclosed by Saudia and Airbus, but, in a press release, the organisers of the forum said the new order totaled 19 billion dollars.
This order comes at a time when Saudi Arabia is prioritising non-oil sectors like tourism, aviation, and hospitality as part of its Vision 2030 economic diversification strategy.
