Saudi Arabian Airlines places $3.3 billion order with Boeing

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Saudi Arabian Airlines announced Sunday that it has ordered 12 Boeing 777-300ER jets.

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Saudi Arabian Airlines announced Sunday that it has ordered 12 Boeing 777-300ER jets. The $3.3 billion deal reflects continued growth in the oil-rich Gulf region’s airline industry.

The Associated Press reports that Saudi Arabia’s national carrier and Boeing said the deal also includes an option to buy 10 more of the aircraft.

The carrier said in a statement that it also ordered eight Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Those aircraft, however, were not included in the $3.3-billion price tag.

According to AP, airline’s director-general, Khaled al-Mulhim, said the decision came as “part of a long-term strategy to expand and modernize our fleet with newer and more fuel-efficient airplanes.”

Several of the major carriers in the region have been aggressively expanding their service, even as their U.S. counterparts are retrenching. That growth has translated to several multibillion-dollar purchases.

The price tag is based on list prices, but airlines often negotiate big discounts.

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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