flyadeal (F3, Jeddah International) expects to receive about one new aircraft per month for the next five to six years, even though it also anticipates ongoing supply chain problems to continue for almost as long.
Speaking to Aviation Week, CEO Steven Greenway said the fleet growth, from the current 41 (including three wet leased) aircraft to 102 aircraft, would place "a huge strain on the business."
"We’re suffering delays, albeit less so on the airframe side and more on the engines, which is problematic for all the reasons everyone talks about, and on things that go into the aircraft such as seats, galleys, and that type of stuff," he said.
flyadeal is a low-cost operator owned by state-owned Saudia Group, which also runs Saudia (SV, Jeddah International). flyadeal's current fleet includes eleven A320-200s and twenty-seven A320-200Ns, plus two wet leased A330-200s and one wet leased A330-300. It has another sixteen A320-200Ns and thirty-nine A321-200Ns on order. The airline is also expected to place a widebody order shortly. According to reports, this order is likely to be for ten A330-900Ns.
Greenway said that aside from potential aircraft delivery delays, supply chain issues at MRO providers and furnished equipment providers make running the airline more complex, but added that these challenges impact every airline, not just flyadeal. A decision to mostly buy off-the-self equipment for cabins and strong relationships with outsource partners have helped mitigate the delays, he said.
flyadeal operates to 28 airports in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, the UAE, Pakistan, Türkiye, and Uzbekistan.
