Saudi carrier ups Airbus A321 order to 90 jets

The first A321 LR takes off on its flight test in Hamburg, Germany

Airbus

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Saudi low-cost carrier Flynas announced a firm order to buy 10 Airbus A321XLR jets at the Dubai Air Show Tuesday, bringing a previous order of 80 Airbus planes up to 90.

The 10-plane purchase, valued at the 2018 list price of $1.42 billion, comes in addition to a 2017 order of 80 A320neo jets which was swapped in June for the larger A321XLR variants, bringing the total to 90 of the long-range A321 planes, which are part of the A321neo family. The jet is Airbus' longest range single-aisle airliner.

A steep discount off the list price is typically negotiated by airlines.

The plane offers a range of up to 4,700 nautical miles in a two-class layout, and seats 244 passengers in a single class layout. Airbus claims it delivers improved environmental performance, with 20% lower fuel burn per seat and 5,000 tons less carbon dioxide emitted per year.

Deliveries are planned to begin in the mid-2020s, Flynas CEO Bander Abdulrahman Al-Mohanna told press on Tuesday. The Saudi budget carrier in June was named best low-cost airline in the Middle East by U.K.-based airline ranking site Skytrax.

The Flynas order adds to Airbus' raft of major wins this week, as it enjoys a current tally of 180 new orders, eclipsing rival Boeing.

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