Ryad (AFP)
The Saudi lowcost airline flyadeal has decided to cancel an order for Boeing 737 MAX in favor of Airbus A320 "neo", it was learned Sunday from the US aerospace giant and the Saudi air carrier.
"We have learned that flyadeal will not finalize its commitment to the 737 MAX to date given its schedule constraints," said a spokesman for Boeing.
The American manufacturer sinks into crisis since the 737 MAX, its flagship aircraft, is grounded around the world after the crash of an Ethiopian Airlines flight last March, which occurred only a few months ago after another accident, that of Lion Air, in Indonesia (346 dead in total).
The Saudi company had last December placed an order for up to 50 (Boeing 737) MAX, a commitment on 30 aircraft and a purchase option for 20 more, "said the spokesman.
At the same time, flyadeal - a low-cost subsidiary of state-owned Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) - announced in a statement "significant growth in its fleet with an order of 30 A320 + neo + and an option to buy 20 A320 + neo + additional ".
The delivery of the A320 "neo" will begin in 2021.
"This is to respond to the steady growth in the number of passengers on domestic, regional and international routes," it added in the statement. For now, flyadeal operates domestic flights throughout the kingdom.
This order is part of an agreement for a total of 65 aircraft signed between Saudia Airlines and Airbus for an estimated $ 7.4 billion at the recent edition of the International Air Show at Le Bourget, near Paris. Paris, says flyadeal in its press release.
The amount has not been disclosed, but the most recent Air Carrier's 2018 catalog shows a unit price of $ 110.6 million for a "neo" A320, or $ 3.3 billion for 30 aircraft. $ 5.5 billion by counting the 20 call options.
The "neo" range of aircraft are re-engined and less polluting because they reduce fuel consumption by 15% compared to the previous generation.
bur-abh-ac-agr / mdz
? 2019 AFP