Riyadh Air orders 60 Airbus A321neo aircraft

Riyadh Air has ordered 60 examples of the Airbus A321neo to augment its fleet of Boeing 787-9s.

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On 30 October 2024, at the Future Investment Initiative (FII) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, new premium international airline Riyadh Air placed a firm order for 60 A321neo Family aircraft.

 

The A321neo is the largest member of the Airbus A320neo Family, and offers long range and high performance. The A321 features new generation engines and Sharklets, bringing a 50% reduction in noise, a fuel saving of 20% and reduced  CO₂ emissions compared to previous generation single-aisle aircraft. The A321neo also offers passenger comfort, with what is claimed to be the widest single-aisle cabin now operational.

 

More than 6,700 A321neo have been ordered by more than 90 customers across the globe to date.

Riyadh Air  is owned by the Saudi state-governed Saudi Public Investment Fund (like Saudia and flyadeal), and is set to begin operations in 2025. The airline has previously ordered 39 Boeing 787-9s, and holds options for another 33 Dreamliners. 

 

The signing ceremony was attended by His Excellency Yasir Al-Rumayyan Governor of the Public Investment Fund (PIF) and Chairman of Riyadh Air, Tony Douglas, CEO of Riyadh Air, Christian Scherer, Chief Executive Officer, Commercial Aircraft at Airbus and Benoit de Saint-Exupery, Executive Vice President Sales of the Commercial Aircraft business.

 

Christian Scherer, the CEO of Commercial Aircraft at Airbus said: “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.”

 

Riyadh Air CEO Tony Douglas said that: “This investment will not only enable us to support economic growth in the aviation industry, it will ensure Riyadh Air operates one of the most fuel efficient fleets. It’ll be instrumental in helping Saudi Arabia achieve its decarbonisation goals. This deal strongly reinforces the positive economic impact of Saudi Arabia’s newest airline on both a global and local scale to facilitate the fast-growing Saudi aviation ecosystem.” 

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