Airbus Group is in talks to Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) for the Gulf carrier to buy a number of ‘high-density’ A380 superjumbo jet in order to ease congestion on haj flights each year, it was reported.
Habib Fekih, the European planemaker’s head of sales for the Middle East, told Bloomberg it had pitched the 615-seat, two-class version of the A380 to the Saudi carrier, a high-density layout Dubai’s Emirates will soon start using next week on some of its routes.
Airbus said the new model, a step up from the 516-seater option previusly offered as the largest configuration, would help ease congestion on haj flights “by many folds.”
Saudi declined to comment on the report when contacted by Bloomberg.
Last month, it was reported Saudia was considering buying A380s to replace its aging Boeing 777 aircraft. The speculation come as CEO Abdul Mohsen Jonaid said he was looking to expand the carrier’s overall fleet to 200 planes by 2020, from its current 119 at present.
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