Reuters
UPDATE 1-Saudia in talks with Airbus and Boeing about aircraft orders
Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) is in talks with aircraft makers Airbus SE and Boeing Co about orders for itself and a new airline the kingdom plans to launch, the chief executive of the state carrier said Tuesday. The talks are about planes for both airlines, as they have “the same shareholder,” Ibrahim Koshy told Reuters on the sidelines of Saudi Arabia’s FII investment conference. Reuters reported Monday that Saudi Arabia’s wealth fund was in advanced negotiations to order nearly 40 A350s from Airbus, with Boeing also lobbying for some of the kingdom’s aviation expansion despite a chill in US-Saudi relations.