Riyadh Air orders 60 Airbus A321neo family aircraft

Riyadh Air, the new premium international airline based in Saudi Arabia, has placed a firm order for 60 Airbus A321neo family aircraft. The agreement was signed at the Future Investment Initiative (FII) in Riyadh, marking a significant milestone for Riyadh Air. 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, CEO, Commercial Aircraft at Airbus; and Benoit de Saint-Exupery, EVP Sales of the Commercial Aircraft business.

“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 decarbonization goals,” Douglas said. “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.”

Scherer 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 decarbonization goals, and comfort to its passengers. We look forward to working together to support the strong ambitions of Saudi aviation."

The A321neo is the largest member of Airbus’ best-selling A320neo family, offering range and performance. By incorporating new generation engines and Sharklets, the A321neo brings a 50% noise reduction and more than 20% fuel savings and CO₂ reduction compared to previous generation single-aisle aircraft, while maximizing passenger comfort in its wide single-aisle cabin.

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