Saudia announces big fleet expansion, to include new A321 neos

Saudia announces big fleet expansion, to include new A321 neos

Saudi Arabia's national flag carrier Saudia has announced the expansion of its fleet with the addition of a new aircraft type, Airbus A321 neo, under the slogan 'A neo-way of flying.'

This feeds into Saudia’s expansion plans as the airline aims to add 20 more A321neo aircrafts to its fleet by 2026.

The A321neo aircraft is a narrow-body airliner part of the A320 family, the world’s most popular single-aisle aircraft family and airlines’ preferred choice with airlines around the world due to its reputation for high performance and superior comfort.

The aircraft offers new levels of performance, seating 180 to 220 passengers in a typical two-class interior layout.

The main reason behind the purchase of the aircraft is its ability to run on much less fuel. The A320 family of aircraft have saved 20 million tonnes of Co2 since the A320neo came into service globally in 2016.

By incorporating Sharklets, new fuel-efficient engines and latest cabin innovations, the A320neo has also seen a 20% drop in fuel burning and Co2 emissions, a 50% reduction in noise footprint, a 5% lower airframe maintenance costs and a 14% lower cash operating costs per seat versus previous generation aircraft.

On the fleet expansion, CEO Captain Ibrahim Koshy said: "We