flynas to buy 250 aircraft, becoming MENA’s largest low-cost airline

RIYADH: The board of directors of Saudi low-cost air carrier flynas has ratified the company’s strategic plan, which includes increasing the number of its outstanding orders to 250 aircraft. The move will make flynas the biggest low-cost airline in the Middle East and North Africa, as well as the region’s largest owner and operator of modern aircraft.
After reviewing the airline’s financial results for 2021, the board praised the company’s success in recovering from the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic and the efficiency of the executive management in handling the crisis and restoring the pre-pandemic operating levels in record time.
Bander Almohanna, CEO and managing director of flynas, said: “The decision of the board of directors of flynas to raise our new aircraft orders to 250 supports our effort to achieve the civil aviation strategy, and expresses the board of directors’ belief in the growth opportunities and positive perspective of domestic and international markets.”
“From our position as a Saudi air carrier, we see great opportunities for expansion, supported by the strategic location of the Kingdom and the prospects opened by Saudi Vision 2030 for the air transport sector. This is reinforced by the launch of the civil aviation strategy, which aims to increase the annual passenger traffic to 330 million and connect the Kingdom with more than 250 destinations worldwide by 2030,” he added.
“We will explore aircraft of different capabilities to fly to new destinations, thus increasing the connection of the world to the Kingdom to support tourism and contribute to the transportation of Hajj and Umrah pilgrims.”
Almohanna said that flynas is currently in discussions with different aircraft manufacturers and is drafting agreements.
He said the board approved flynas’ international expansion as part of its strategic plan to explore the opening of new bases in several countries.
“flynas is classified as one of the top 10 low-cost airlines in the world, a position we have gained through operational efficiency and distinguished service we provide to our guests. We will work to share this experience and competence with new partnerships that we intend to establish in several locations,” he added.
flynas connects more than 70 domestic and international destinations through its fleet of more than 35 aircraft. It has transported more than 55 million passengers since its establishment in 2007.
The airline recently received the aviation industry’s most anticipated honor — the highest rating in the APEX Official Airline Ratings — ranking in the 4-star low-cost carrier category, the highest category of low-cost airlines in the world.
Moreover, it was ranked as the leading low-cost airline in the Middle East by the World Travel Awards for seven consecutive years and was named the best low-cost airline in the Middle East for 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2021 by Skytrax International Award, in addition to being recognized as the region’s best airline staff service in 2019.