Saudis sign deals for over 100 planes as Paris Air Show opens

AviLease has signed a deal for up to 77 Airbus planes, announced as the Paris Air Show opened at Le Bourget on Monday.

The global aircraft lessor backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund signed up for an initial 30 A320 Neo jets and 10 A350F freighters, which could increase to 55 A320 Neos and 22 A350Fs.

Riyadh Air, Saudi’s new national carrier, also backed by the sovereign wealth fund,  announced an order of 25 A350-1000 aircraft at the event on Monday.

Meanwhile, Royal Air Maroc is nearing a major fleet renewal deal with Boeing as it moves to quadruple its fleet by 3030 ahead of co-hosting the World Cup.

The deal could include more than 70  787s and 737 jets, Reuters reports. The airline is also planning a smaller order for 20 Airbus A220s, its first Airbus deal in nearly 25 years.

The Paris Air Show opened against a somber backdrop following last week’s Air India crash and disruptions caused by rising tensions between Israel and Iran.

Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg and Commercial Airplanes chief Stephanie Pope have cancelled their trip to Paris, with Boeing scaling back its presence to focus on the India crash probe.

Boeing’s branding remained highly visible at the show, including a gleaming Riyadh Air 787 parked behind its chalet at Le Bourget, Reuters reported.