MANAMA, Bahrain — Bahrain’s state-run Gulf Air announced Thursday it will purchase 19 new Airbus aircraft worth a listed value of $2.35 billion, part of its effort to compete in the region’s race between carriers.
The Airbus announcement came at the start of the three-day Bahrain Air Show, which also saw an announced upgrade to a previous Boeing order.
In recent years, Gulf carriers including Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways have begun to dominate international long-haul routes between the East and West, leaving Gulf Air largely behind.
Thursday’s deal will see Gulf Air purchase 17 A321neos and two A320neos. The planes are worth $2.35 billion at list prices, though carriers are typically able to negotiate discounts.
Gulf Air said it currently operates 28 Airbus aircraft in its fleet and that the “new aircraft will fit seamlessly into the airline’s current fleet.”
“This restructured order meets Gulf Air’s future fleet requirement and our network expansion plans,” Gulf Air CEO Maher Salman al-Musallam said.
Europe’s Airbus SA, based in Toulouse, France, also welcomed the deal. It said earlier this month it had exceeded its targets in 2015, taking in 1,036 net orders and delivering 635 jets to airlines and other buyers.
Also Thursday, Gulf Air announced it would upgrade a previous order for 16 Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners to 787-9s, planes valued at $4.2 billion. It did not disclose the value of the previous deal.
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