ASL Airlines Ireland is set to begin operating an Airbus A330-300P2F on behalf of Saudia Cargo. The aircraft involved, currently registered N810CM (1272), rolled-out of the paintshop at Shannon on 11 July 2025.
Once delivered, it is to become EI-LKD. The A330 will be the only of its type in the fleet of ASL. The airline has operated seven A330-freighters before on behalf of DHL.
It's unknown at this stage if ASL will be operating more aircraft for the Saudi national airline.
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.
In terms of the breakdown, Saudia will receive fifty-four A321neo while flyadeal will benefit from thirty-nine A321neo and twelve A320neo.
"The new aircraft directly support Saudia Group's objectives to connect the world with the Kingdom, aligning with several key pillars of Saudi Vision 2030," it said in a statement. "These include the transportation and logistics objectives to increase guests’ capacity to 330 million and expand destinations to 250 by 2030, and the tourism objective to attract 150 million visits by 2030. This is in addition to the Hajj and Umrah objective to contribute to the increase of Umrah pilgrim capacity to 30 million by 2030."
No engine selection or delivery dates were disclosed.
ch-aviation fleets data shows Saudia operates a narrowbody fleet of thirty-seven A320-200s, fifteen A321-200s, and seven A321-200NX with outstanding orders for ten more A320neo (destined for flyadeal), thirteen more A321neo, and fifteen A321-200NY(XLR)s. For its part, flyadeal operates eleven A320-200s and twenty-one A320neo.
Saudia Faces Court Dispute With Lessor Over 50 Airbus Aircraft
A Dubai-based financial services firm is alleging a breach of lease agreements by Saudi Arabian Airlines concerning 50 of its Airbus aircraft. The lessor, Alif Segregated Portfolio Company, is seeking at least $460 million in unpaid rent and maintenance costs.
Saudi Arabian Airlines, also known as Saudia, has 32 Airbus A330-300s in its fleet. Currently, 23 of those jets are active and in-service, while nine are listed as parked. Photo: Airbus
Details of the claim
The claim, filed in London’s High Court filed last month by Dubai-based financial services firm Alif Segregated Portfolio Company, is alleging that its lease agreement with Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) was breached.
According to Reuters, the plaintiff is seeking at least $460 million in unpaid rent and maintenance costs. Reuters also reports that Alif is also demanding other damages and costs.
The claim centers around 50 Airbus aircraft, announced by Airbus at the 2015 Paris Airshow. The deal at the time was considered the largest aviation deal to be secured via Islamic financing. The deal, accounting for a third of Saudia’s fleet, was worth around $8.2 billion at list prices in 2015.
More specifically, the 50-aircraft order consisted of 30 Airbus A320neos and 20 Airbus A330-300s. Under the agreement, Alif’s managing unit International Airfinance Corporation (IAFC) bought the planes. According to CH-Aviation, IAFC is incorporated as a Cayman Islands company but based in the United Arab Emirates. Saudia would lease the aircraft from this entity.
However, documents show that Alif is claiming Saudia has failed to pay basic rent after seeking to reduce its payments. The plaintiff is also alleging that Saudia has engaged in “unauthorized and unnotified engine and part swaps.”
Saudia is a full-service, state-owned airline and the flag carrier of Saudi Arabia. It is based in Jeddah but also has hubs in Riyadh, Medina, and Dammam Photo: BriYYZ via Wikimedia Commons
“We are currently in discussions with the lessor to resolve contractual differences, and we believe that common sense will prevail in the end,” – Saudia spokesperson via Reuters
In addition to the above statement, the airline also clarifies that active legal proceedings have not yet begun.
How will this unfold?
Without looking at the financial details, it isn’t easy to know how valid this claim is. Of course, considering at the situation and the amount of money at stake, the plaintiff would have to be quite certain of its allegations.
The threat of a lawsuit and messy legal battle is certainly unwelcome – especially at a challenging time like this. By the sounds of Saudia’s statement to the media- “currently in discussions to resolve contractual differences” sounds like the airline will seek to resolve the dispute outside of court and come to a settlement agreement.
Air Atlanta Icelandic's Vice President (Sales & Marketing), Unndór Jónsson, told ch-aviation in January last year that the ACMI/charter specialist was looking at acquiring both the B777 and A330 to replace its ageing B747 fleet.
"The B777 and the A330 would be a good strategic fit to Air Atlanta Icelandic’s B747-400 aircraft, initially to supplement the existing fleet and as a replacement in coming years.
At this stage, I, however, cannot confirm any specific," Jónsson added in an e-mailed statement.
Earlier this month, it started advertising for B777 type-rated flightcrew to be based out of Jeddah effective immediately.
Saudia does not have any in-house A330-200s but already wet-leases seven such aircraft from Onur Air (8Q, Istanbul New). The Saudi flag carrier also operates forty-six A320-200s, fifteen A321-200s, thirty-two A330-300s (including twenty Regionals), two B747-8(F)s, four B777-Fs, thirty-five B777-300(ER)s, three B787-10s, and thirteen B787-9s. It also wet-leases four B747-400(F)s from AirACT (9T, Istanbul Atatürk).
ASL to operate Airbus A330-300P2F for Saudia
_(28915127023).jpg){kind=link}