Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAUDIA), the national flag carrier of Saudi Arabia, has decided to expand its existing A320neo family order from 35 to as many as 100 neo aircraft including 35 options. The additional firm order takes SAUDIA's order of A320neo family aircraft to 65 of which 15 are A321XLRs. The agreement was announced in a ceremony on the sidelines of the Paris Air Show attended by the Chairman of Saudi Arabian Airlines Corporation Dr. Ghassan Al-Shibl and signed by Eng. Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser, Director General of Saudi Arabian Airlines, and Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer. Passenger demand in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is experiencing strong growth on domestic, regional and international routes. The additional aircraft will be deployed to support the national carrier's plan to boost capacity and to serve the additional requirements and growing demand for the airline's services – both short and long haul. SAUDIA currently flies to more than 95 routes across four continents. Airbus and SAUDIA have also agreed to further expand their partnership with the development of technical training, maintenance and other services. Eng. Al-Jasser said: "Year-on-year growth has been in the double digits, both in domestic travel as well as the growing international transit traffic, as a result of the airline's expanding route map and additional frequencies offered on existing routes. In addition to the narrow-body order, evaluations are currently underway for wide-body requirements, expected to be concluded within the next few months." SAUDIA operates a fleet of more than 150 narrow and widebody aircraft, including 100 Airbus A320 family and A330s. The airline operates one of the most modern fleets in the world – at an average aircraft age of less than 5 years. This latest purchase is in line with the group's SV2020 Transformation Program which includes the establishment and growth of a dual-brand strategy of operating airlines which cater to the different customer segments in the Kingdom, region and beyond. Since the launch of SAUDIA's SV2020 Transformation program in 2015, SAUDIA introduced a number of new products and services onboard, added new aircraft to the fleet, expanded technological features on its mobile app and website – providing enhanced conveniences and value for its guests. In line with the growth trajectory for aviation sector in the Kingdom, industrial and manufacturing cooperation with Airbus in conjunction with local companies in Saudi Arabia is also incorporated in this agreement. SAUDIA's partnership with Airbus will continue to grow and develop the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's aviation sector, which includes local industry participation in developing its future fleet. The A320neo and its derivative aircraft family members are the world's best-selling single aisle aircraft with over 6,100 orders from over 100 customers since its launch in 2010. It has pioneered and incorporated the latest technologies, including its new generation engines and the industry's reference cabin design, delivering 20% fuel cost savings alone. The A320neo also offers significant environmental benefits with nearly 50% reduction in noise footprint compared to previous generation aircraft. — SG
