flyadeal (F3, Jeddah) has officially dumped Boeing (BOE, Chicago O'Hare) for Airbus (AIB, Toulouse Blagnac) after it confirmed its future fleet would be based on the A320neo Family of jets.
In a statement issued on Sunday, July 7, the Saudia Group LCC said it had firm ordered 30 of the jets with options for 20 more. The aircraft, whose deliveries will start in 2021, are sourced from sister carrier Saudia's A320neo Family order with Airbus which, during the 2019 Paris Air Show, was expanded from thirty-five firm order jets to as many as 100 including 35 options.
"This order will result in flyadeal operating an all-Airbus A320 fleet in the future," it said.
The incoming aircraft will be used to bolster the LCC's domestic Saudi as well as international network operations. It currently operates eleven A320ceo all of which are leased.
Speculation in the Saudi media had pointed to the move given prolonged uncertainty over if and when the B737 MAX would return to service. Last year, flyadeal tentatively committed to thirty B737-8s with options for twenty more.