JEDDAH: Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAA) signed Sunday a contract with Boeing to supply 22 new 777-300 ER and eight 787 Dreamliner planes for its fleet in Riyadh Sunday. The signing ceremony was attended by Prince Fahd Bin Abdullah Bin Mohammed Al-Saud, Assistant Minister of Defense and Aviation for Civil Aviation Affairs. The contract was signed by Engineer Khaled Al-Molhem, Director General of SAA and Jim F. Albaugh, President and CEO of Boeing Commercial Aircraft. The event was attended by a number of Boeing and SAA officials along with local and international media representatives. The 777-300ER deal was valued at SR3.3 billion “at average list prices,” and includes an option for 10 more of the aircraft, which carry up to 365 passengers, according to a statement from the two companies. A value was not given for the 787 purchase. The signing is part of SAA's strategic plan to modernize its fleet through the acquisition of 82 of the latest aircraft. The aim is to meet growth in passenger seat capacity and enhance the national carrier's competitive position on both regional and international levels. “Our decision to order the 777-300ER is part of a long-term growth strategy to expand and modernize our fleet with newer, more fuel-efficient airplanes,” Al-Molhem said. Al-Molhem thanked King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, for his support of Saudi Arabian Airlines. He said Crown Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz, Deputy Premier, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, has also been behind SAA's success. “We see direct benefit because of the 777-300ER's improved fuel efficiency, seat-mile costs and the economics of operating a twin-engine airplane over long distances.” Molhem said that most of the aircraft were to be used as part of a program to rationalize domestic services and increase seating capacity by 20 percent. “For nearly seven decades, SAA has been playing a major role in the country's development. It has linked all parts of Saudi Arabia with a modern air transport network. In addition, it has greatly contributed to the commercial exchange between Saudi Arabia and the world,” he added.
