SaudiGulf adds four A320s to its proposed fleet

SaudiGulf, the new Saudi Arabian domestic airline wholly owned by Abdul Hadi Al Qahtani Group of Companies has signed a firm contract with Airbus for four A320ceo, to be delivered early 2015. The aircraft will be equipped with Airbus “Sharklet” fuel saving wing tip devices.

As one of the two airlines to obtain carrier licenses to operate domestic and international flights from Saudi airports, the airline will contribute to increase the Kingdom’s air transport links with the region and the rest of the world. SaudiGulf plans to launch its operations out of Dammam, in the first quarter of 2015 followed by Riyadh and Jeddah.

The airline has already ordered Bombardier CSeries aircraft.

“It is an incredibly exciting time for us, as we work to launch SaudiGulf next year,” said Tariq Abdel Hadi Al Qahtani, chairman of the Al Qahtani group. “The A320 is an ideal choice as it provides us with the perfect mix of performance, reliability, flexibility and great economics whilst offering a very high level of passenger comfort”

The Airbus chief operating officer John Leahy said the aircraft would aid the development of the start-up. “The A320 is a market leader and will contribute positioning SaudiGulf as a premium service airline as soon as it begins its operations,” he said. “It is used in a full range of services from very short-haul airline routes to intercontinental segments, providing a new airline with a great deal of flexibility. We are thrilled to see a new airline starting its business today and we feel privileged to be part of this journey.”

The sharklets fitted to the new aircraft are newly designed wing-tip devices that cut the aircraft’s fuel burn and emissions by up to four per cent on longer sectors. They are made from light-weight composites and are 2.4 meters tall.