Saudi Arabian start-up carrier Riyadh Air has placed an order worth billions of dollars with Airbus for 60 single-aisle aircraft.
The deal covers new generation A321neo family aircraft and follows a commitment last year to 39 wide-body Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners and options for a further 33.
The airline now has a total of 132 aircraft on order ahead of its launch in 2025.
Described as a “multi-billion dollar” deal, the agreement with Airbus “positions the airline for efficient flight operations by having an optimal fleet mix to fulfil its network ambitions of 100 destinations by 2030”.
Chief executive Tony Douglas said: “This order will not only enable us to support economic growth in the aviation industry, it will also ensure Riyadh Air operates one of the most sustainable fleets in the industry and be instrumental in helping Saudi Arabia achieve its net-zero emissions goals.
“This deal strongly reinforces the positive economic impact of Saudi Arabia’s newest airline on both a global and local scale and helps facilitate the fast-growing local aviation ecosystem.”
Airbus commercial aircraft chief executive Christian Scherer added: “We are proud to welcome Riyadh Air as a new Airbus customer and partner.
“The latest generation A321neo aircraft will bring exceptional efficiency to the airline’s operations, concrete contributions to its decarbonisation goals and comfort to its passengers. We look forward to working together to support the strong ambitions of Saudi aviation.”
The new airline is a wholly owned company of Sadi Arabia’s vast Public Investment Fund (PIF), which has more than $600 billion in assets and is part of a consortium that owns Premiership football club Newcastle United.