Monday, October 7, 2024 Air Arabia, one of the Middle East’s leading low-cost carriers (LCCs), has embarked on a significant fleet expansion plan as it awaits the delivery of 120 Airbus A320neo family aircraft, with deliveries now scheduled to commence in the second half of 2025. The airline group, which operates across several brands including Air Arabia Abu Dhabi, Air Arabia Egypt, Air Arabia Maroc, and Fly Jinnah, currently manages a fleet of around 85 Airbus A320ceos, A321ceos, and A321LRs. This order is set to more than double its fleet size over the coming years.
While Air Arabia eagerly anticipates the arrival of its new jets, CEO Adel Ali revealed at Routes World 2024 in Bahrain that the airline has been leasing additional capacity to support its growth plans. Ali also shed light on the delays in the delivery timeline, the decision to hold off on early A320neo deliveries, and Air Arabia’s ambitious plans for regional expansion. Speaking at Routes World 2024, Adel Ali acknowledged that while Air Arabia’s 120 A320neo family aircraft are on order, the first deliveries have been postponed until late 2025 .
This delay, he explained, stems from supply chain challenges and a decision made by the airline to wait for the next-generation CFM LEAP engines , which are expected to bring improved efficiency and performance. “We’ve been leasing quite a lot of aeroplanes from the market to grow the business,” Ali stated, although he did not provide specific details about .