Saudi Arabia’s national airline adds 63 aircraft to fleet

Saudi Arabian Airlines has announced the addition of 63 new aircraft to its existing fleet, boosting passenger services on national and international routes.

The new planes include 15 Boeing 777-300ERs, 13 Boeing 787 Dreamliners and 35 Airbus New Generation A320/A321-neos.

Announced by the kingdom’s minister of transportation, Sulaiman Al Hamdan, the arrival of the aircraft comes on the back of moves by the General Authority of Civil Aviation to expand and grow through partnerships.

Earlier this year, the airline – known as Saudia – received three Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners and a 777-300ER as part of efforts to increase its fleet from 119 planes to 200 by 2020. It expects to carry 30 million passengers in 2016.

Speaking to local media, Saudia director general, Saleh Al Jasser, said agreements were singed with Airbus this year and last year to purchase a total of 113 new planes, the next of which should arrive next year.

“The airline will receive four airplanes of model B787-9 in 2017,” he said.

In April Saudia also launched a low cost carrier, Flyadeal, which is scheduled to begin domestic operations in mid-2017.