JEDDAH, 9 November 2005 — Saudi Arabian Airlines will receive next month first two planes of the 15 new Embraer aircraft it ordered last April, its Director General Dr. Khaled Ben-Bakr announced yesterday. He said the new fleet of aircraft would improve the airline’s services.
Ben-Bakr signed a deal worth $400 million with Mauricio Botelho, president and CEO of Brazil’s Embraer aircraft company to purchase the new planes on April 27. The deal included establishment of a maintenance center.
The Embraer 170, which according to Dr. Ben-Bakr, is a technically advanced aircraft, which is manufactured with the support of specialized American, Japanese, French and Spanish companies.
As per the deal, Saudia will receive the first two aircraft in December and another two in January. “Later on we’ll receive one aircraft every month until all the 15 planes are delivered,” the Saudia chief said.
The national carrier will use the Embraer to add frequencies on existing regional and domestic flights and eventually develop mini-hubs in the northern city of Hail and the southern resort city of Abha.
