Despite recent production delays, Saudia Airlines is confident that recently bought Airbus planes will be delivered on schedule. In May, the state-owned Saudi Group placed an order for 105 narrow-body Airbus aircraft, which would be divided between Saudia Airlines and its low-cost sister airline Flydeal.
Saleh Eid, vice-president of fleet management and agreements at Saudia Airlines, stated that the first aircraft is scheduled to arrive in Saudia in 2026 and that deliveries will continue until 2031.
“We are very comfortable with these delivery times,” he told Reuters, noting that the airline was still taking delivery of Airbus planes under a previous order. “We believe that the delivery dates we have got are safe,” he said at an event to mark the recent plane order at an Airbus factory in Hamburg.
Executives in the airline sector have stated that they have been informed in recent months of additional delays due to supply chain disruptions. Airbus’s decision to reduce delivery targets and delay down its manufacturing ramp-up has resulted in lower expectations for 2024 and beyond.
Saudi Arabia has invested in many Billionaires to diversify its economy away from fossil fuels. Plans for aviation include new airlines and maybe a large international airport as it competes with the UAE, a regional rival and popular travel destination in the Gulf.
Some analysts have questioned the financing of the multi-year development, though. Due mostly to reductions in oil output, the International Monetary Fund revised down Saudi Arabia’s economic growth by over one percentage point on Tuesday.