Saudi Flynas in talks with Boeing, Airbus for 100 jets

Saudi Arabia’s low-cost carrier Flynas, is in talks with Airbus Group, Boeing Co. and Bombardier Inc. over the possibility of buying or leasing 60 new planes in the next five years with an option for 40 more, Flynas CEO Paul Byrne told Bloomberg in an interview in Bahrain.

The company, which posted its first profit in 2015, is considering the Airbus A320 Neos, Boeing 737 Maxs and Bombardier CS300 aircraft, as the leases on all-Airbus fleet of 26 will expire within six years, he was quoted as saying.

The carrier hopes to capitalize on the the Saudi market’s expanding population and pilgrimage flights to the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah. The kingdom has been slowly liberating the aviation market, long controlled by the heavily-subsidized national carrier, Saudi Arabian Airlines.

It’s in the process of licensing several operators, including Saudi Gulf Air and Al Maha Airways, which is owned by Qatar Airways.