Saudia to purchase 100 electric jets in sustainability push

Saudi Arabia’s national carrier Saudia will purchase 100 all-electric Lilium jets alongside yearly support services, it announced on Wednesday.

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Saudia and Lilium, a developer of the all-electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) jet, announced a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the same, at the sixth edition of the Future Investment Initiative (FII).

The MoU was “for the proposed development and operation by Saudia of an eVTOL network across Saudi Arabia,” the carrier said in a statement.

With a planned purchase, Saudia intends to launch a service with new electric point-to-point connections as well as feeder connections to the airline’s hubs for business class guests. With zero operating emissions, the jets would enable sustainable and time-saving travel.

The carrier said that it expects to support Lilium with the necessary regulatory approval processes in Saudi Arabia for certification of the Lilium Jet and any other required regulatory approvals. Lilium Jet’s flexible cabin architecture is expected to enable interior configurations suited to the needs of the premium market.

Saudia currently serves a network of more than 100 domestic and international destinations.

Captain Ibrahim S. Koshy, chief executive officer of Saudia said: “Saudia, building on its commitment to be an industry leading airline committed to sustainability, considers our eVTOL network project with Lilium to be an undertaking of great significance for the kingdom’s aviation industry and will contribute effectively to spurring sustainable tourism in Saudi using zero-emission aviation.”

The proposed arrangement between Saudia and Lilium is subject to the parties completing a feasibility assessment, agreeing to commercial terms, and entering into definitive agreements with satisfaction of certain conditions, the statement added.