Airbus wins historic order from Saudi Arabia’s flagship carrier Saudia

Airbus wins historic order from Saudi Arabia’s flagship carrier Saudia

"We need more than 180 aircraft but there are no slots," Abdullah Alshahrani, spokesman for Saudia, told Bloomberg in an interview. "We need the planes now. That's our demand."

Saudia is set to start receiving the single-aisle aircraft from Airbus from 2026, with around half being assigned to low-cost subsidiary Flyadeal. Saudia and Flyadeal have more than 170 Airbus and Boeing Co. planes between them and fly to 100 destinations.

The Saudi carrier last year ordered more than three dozen 787 Dreamliners from Boeing, with an option for another 10. Startup airline Riyadh Air, which is backed by Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund, has also purchased Boeing jets and teased follow-up orders.

The Airbus deal was announced at the Future Aviation Forum in the Saudi capital of Riyadh, where more than $12 billion in deals are expected to be signed. It comes as Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reshapes the local aviation market, with Saudia being repositioned to focus on pilgrimages and Riyadh Air due to cater to tourists.

Saudi Arabia's goal is to draw 150 million tourists a year by 2030, with 70 million coming from abroad, as part of a broader campaign to diversify the kingdom's economy.

Saudia