MIAMI – According to an unconfirmed report by Saudi news outlet Maaal, Saudia (SV) is considering a purchase of 70 new Airbus A321 and Boeing 777, 787 aircraft.

Saudia is looking to raise US $3bn from local banks to finance the order. The specifics of how many of each type of aircraft the airline plans to purchase remains unclear.

The order would be an effort by the airline to replace their aging fleet of Airbus A320ceo, A321ceo and A330-300 aircraft. The current 64 A320ceo and A321ceo are respectively 5.7 years and 9.1 years old on average.

Another order for the A321neo and A321LR would be another mark of high demand for the incredibly popular Airbus A320neo family series.

Saudia’s Boeing 777-300ER. Photo: Kochan Kleps/Airways

A Boon for Boeing

For their long haul fleet, Saudia could look to order aircraft to complement their Boeing 787-9, 787-10, and 777-300ER aircraft in their fleet.

If SV is to consider the Boeing 777-9X to increase capacity in its fleet, an order for the type would be a significant boost for Boeing and the 777-9X program, which has struggled to meet the demand of other 777 variants.

As for the Boeing 787 order, it is unclear whether the company will choose the Boeing 787-9 over the 787-10.

As SV already operates the Boeing 787-9, it is a strong contender for the order. However, the Boeing 787-10 has worked well for SV’s expansion in regions such as Asia and Europe.

Featured Photo: Ervin Eslami/Airways