Saudi low-cost carrier flyadeal (F3, Jeddah International) will soon place an order for ten A330-900N aircraft, according to Reuters. As previously reported in ch-aviation, the airline had decided to place a widebody order but was undecided about the type. Aside from a single wet-leased A330-200, flyadeal has exclusively relied on Airbus narrowbodies to date.
flyadeal is expected to place the order within weeks, which will also include options for another ten A330s. If placed, the order represents another blow for Boeing, whose B787-9 type was under consideration but reportedly ultimately dropped.
In September 2024, Ibrahim Al Omar, director general of Saudia Group, which operates Saudia (SV, Jeddah International) and flyadeal, discussed expansion plans and said the group hoped to have 300 aircraft at its two carriers by 2032. Aside from the A330-200, wet leased from Jordan Aviation, flyadeal currently operates eleven A320-200s and twenty-five A320-200Ns. According to ch-aviation fleets data, it also has orders for eighteen A320-200N and thirty-nine A321-200N.
Meanwhile, local low-cost competitor flynas (XY, Riyadh) signed a memorandum of understanding with Airbus in July 2024 for fifteen A330neo and 75 incremental A320neo family aircraft. The MOU also included options for 15 more A330neo and 55 more A320neo aircraft.
Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 goals include increasing the number of airline passengers moving through the country to 300 million annually, including 100 million inbound tourists, and expanding connectivity to over 250 destinations from Saudi Arabia's 29 commercial airports.
