Saudi Arabia's flyadeal has announced the delivery of its first new aircraft of 2026, an Airbus A320neo, bringing the company's total fleet to 45 single-aisle aircraft.
The new aircraft arrived in Jeddah directly from Airbus's assembly line in the French city of Toulouse, joining the A320neo aircraft operating in the company's fleet as part of its ongoing expansion plan to boost operational capacity, according to a post on the company's LinkedIn account.
The delivery marks the start of a new approach to naming aircraft, as the company has moved from using the names of star constellations to giving its aircraft the names of birds. The new aircraft was named "Al Saqr" (The Falcon), in reference to the Kingdom's national bird, reflecting the connotations of strength, freedom and pride associated with Saudi culture and the brand identity.
Steven Greenway, CEO of flyadeal, explained that the new aircraft represents a further step towards reaching a fleet of 50 aircraft, adding that receiving additional aircraft will help increase the number of flights on existing routes and open new destinations in the coming phase.
For his part, Captain Abdulaziz Bahri, Chief Operating Officer, said the company's exclusive reliance on A320 aircraft enhances operational efficiency, especially in terms of fuel consumption and costs, and confirmed the continuation of pilot recruitment plans, including through the government-supported cadet pilot training programme.
The company's A320neo aircraft have 186 seats, all in economy class in a 3-3 layout, with leather seats and enlarged overhead bins, in line with the low-cost airline model.
Flyadeal operates from its bases in Jeddah, Riyadh, Madinah and Dammam to more than 30 destinations inside and outside the Kingdom, including destinations in the Middle East, Europe, North Africa and South Asia. In line with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030, the company aims to double its network to more than 100 destinations and grow its fleet to 100 aircraft by 2030.
To view the post on flyadeal's LinkedIn account, click here.
