Aviation Two PIF units order 65 Airbus jets at Paris Airshow By Pramod Kumar June 17, 2025, 9:20 AM Airbus Riyadh Air, which is due to start services this year, placed an order for 25 A350-1000 jets Two Saudi aviation companies, both backed by the kingdom’s Public Investment Fund, have signed deals to buy 65 Airbus aircraft at the Paris Airshow. Riyadh Air, which is due to start services this year, placed an order for 25 A350-1000 jets, the European planemaker said in a statement. The deal also includes purchase rights for a further 25 planes. Riyadh Air will become the first airline in Saudi Arabia to operate A350-1000 aircraft. The A350 is a wide-body aircraft that is capable of operating with up to 50 percent sustainable aviation fuel. Airbus aims for all its aircraft to be 100 percent SAF-capable by 2030. No financial details were shared but the deal is estimated to be worth $4.6 billion, Reuters reported, quoting the airline consultancy Cirium Ascend. In April Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation granted permission to the airline to commence flights to and from airports across the kingdom. Set to launch amid escalating geopolitical tensions in the region as a result of ongoing strikes between Iran and Israel, Riyadh Air has ambitions to operate flights to more than 100 international destinations by 2030. In a separate announcement, Aircraft Leasing Company (AviLease) placed an initial order for 10 A350F freighters and 30 A320neo aircraft. The agreement includes an additional right to buy 22 A350F and 55 A320neo planes. The deliveries are scheduled through 2033, AviLease said in a statement. Last month the company placed an order for 30 Boeing 737 Max aircraft during US President Donald Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia Trump’s Gulf deals help Boeing deliver a blockbuster May Airbus expects Middle East aircraft fleet to double by 2043 Saudi companies to place orders for Airbus jets It also finalised a $1.5 billion credit facility in April to fund aircraft purchases and business expansion. The kingdom is hoping to reach 330 million annual passengers by 2030, a compound yearly increase of 26 percent between now and the end of the decade. Last year 128 million passengers travelled through the kingdom’s airports, according to the General Authority for Statistics. Of these, 69 million were international travellers while 59 million were domestic. The Paris Airshow runs from June 16 to 19. Register now: It’s easy and free AGBI registered members can access even more of our unique analysis and perspective on business and economics in the Middle East. Why sign uP Exclusive weekly email from our editor-in-chief Personalised weekly emails for your preferred industry sectors Read and download our insight packed white papers Access to our mobile app Prioritised access to live events Register for free Already registered? Sign in I’ll register later Register now: It’s easy and free AGBI registered members can access even more of our unique analysis and perspective on business and economics in the Middle East. Why sign uP Exclusive weekly email from our editor-in-chief Personalised weekly emails for your preferred industry sectors Read and download our insight packed white papers Access to our mobile app Prioritised access to live events Register for free Already registered? Sign in I’ll register later
