SAUDI ARABIA- Saudi Arabia’s newly established airline, Riyadh Air (RX), is nearing the completion of negotiations for a substantial order of narrow-body aircraft.
CEO Tony Douglas mentioned that an announcement regarding the deal is likely to be made in the coming months, although he did not provide further details.
Riyadh Air Narrow-Body Order
Douglas had initially disclosed the airline’s discussions with Airbus and Boeing about procuring a significant number of narrow-body jets back in June.
He stated, “We’ll probably reveal the deal in the coming months. We’re in the final stages of a substantial order for narrow-body aircraft, and this may not be our last order either,” during an event in Lisbon.
He also indicated that the order would be finalized in June before the Farnborough event scheduled for July next year in the United Kingdom. This suggests that the announcement could potentially occur at the Dubai Airshow in November of this year.
Riyadh Air is set to receive its first wide-body jets from Boeing and commence operations in the capital city, Riyadh, two years from now.
Finalizing Deals
According to Mr. Douglas, the Chief Executive of Riyadh Air, the airline’s initial order placed in March, which consisted of 39 Boeing 787 wide-body aircraft with options for an additional 33, is just the beginning. The airline intends to place further orders this year, particularly focusing on narrow-body planes to cater to its short-haul flights.
Mr. Douglas stated that the airline is actively engaged in a narrow-body campaign and is working diligently to finalize the details to make an official announcement.
The discussions surrounding the narrow-body aircraft order are complex. Subsequently, considerations such as engine selections and airframe availability make the decision a technical challenge. However, Mr. Douglas did not disclose specific information regarding the size of the order at this time.
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