During the first days of the 2007 Dubai Airshow, various Airlines based in the Middle East announced their Airbus fleet expansion.
Besides Emirates Airlines and NAS, today Air Arabia and Saudi Arabian Airlines announced their expansion plans.
Air Arabia, the first and largest low cost carrier in the Middle East and North Africa, has signed a firm contract for 34 Airbus A320 aircraft with an option for 15 more. The airline, based at Sharjah International Airport, United Arab Emirates, has yet to specify the engines to be installed on its new fleet.
Air Arabia already operates 10 leased A320s, and serves a network of more than 37 destinations across the Middle East, North Africa, Indian Subcontinent and Central Asia. Launched in 2003 and based in Sharjah, Air Arabia has served more than 5 million passengers over the past four years.
Saudi Arabian Airlines, Saudi Arabia’s national airline, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for 22 Airbus A320 aircraft as part of the fleet modernisation plans. The agreement allows Saudia to increase the order by eight further A320s.
The agreement is particularly significant as it marks the first time Saudi Arabian Airlines have placed an order with Airbus in some two decades. Previously, Saudi Arabian Airlines were the launch customer for the Airbus A300-600, which was delivered in 1984.
Saudi Arabian Airlines is one of the biggest and the longest-established airlines in the Middle East.
Source: Airbus
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