Saudi Arabian Airlines has announced additional orders for 63 aircraft from Airbus and Boeing as part of its fleet expansion and modernisation plan. The annoucement was made by Saudi minister of transport Sulaiman Alhamdan, who is also Chairman of the Board of the General Authority of Civil Aviation and Chairman of the Board of Saudi Arabian Airlines.

The order includes 35 Airbus A320/A321neos, which reportedly come in addition to the 50 aircraft ordered via International Lease Finance Corp at the Paris Air Show last year — 20 A330 Regionals and 30 A320ceos. Three of the A330 Regionals have already been delivered out of 10 scheduled to be handed over by the end of the year. None of the A320ceos have been delivered to date.

The carrier has still to receive four of the eight Boeing 787-9s previously ordered. The new order includes 13 Boeing 787s and 15 Boeing 777-300ERs. Saudi Arabian Airlines already operates 20 Boeing 777-300ERs.

The carrier expects to take delivery of an unprecedented 30 aircraft in 2017, including 22 widebody airliners.