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flynas Takes Delivery of 50th Jetliner Out of Order for 120 Airbus A320neo

flynas is moving ahead in its ambitious plan for growth, expansion, and increasing the fleet size - AFP
flynas is moving ahead in its ambitious plan for growth, expansion, and increasing the fleet size - AFP
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flynas Takes Delivery of 50th Jetliner Out of Order for 120 Airbus A320neo

flynas is moving ahead in its ambitious plan for growth, expansion, and increasing the fleet size - AFP
flynas is moving ahead in its ambitious plan for growth, expansion, and increasing the fleet size - AFP

flynas, the Saudi air carrier and the leading low-cost airline in the Middle East and the world, celebrated taking delivery of the 50th airplane out of a large order for Airbus A320neo jetliners at a reception held at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.

The company is moving ahead in its ambitious plan for growth, expansion, and increasing the fleet size.
Taking delivery of the 50th aircraft comes within an order to purchase 120 A320neo aircraft from Airbus with a value exceeding 32 billion riyals, which was at the time the second-largest purchase of A320neo aircraft in the Middle East, as a strategic step for flynas, SPA reported.
The deal with Airbus was a strategic step for flynas, consolidating its position as a leading low-cost airline in the Middle East, and one of the top four low-cost carriers in the world. The company is moving forward in its ambitious plans to double the fleet size after its board of directors approved an increase in purchase orders to 250 aircraft. This is in line with flynas’ strategic plan -- “We Connect the World to the Kingdom” -- in parallel with the National Civil Aviation Strategy to enable national air carriers to contribute to connecting Saudi Arabia with 250 international destinations and to accommodate 330 million passengers and to host 100 million tourists yearly by 2030.
In parallel with upscaling the flynas fleet, taking delivery of the new aircraft contributed to generating hundreds of quality jobs in the aviation sector, directly and indirectly. flynas recently announced the opening of applications in several programs, including the Future Pilots Program, Future Engineers Program, and the Cabin Crew Program for Saudi men and women.
This A320neo airplane is the third of its kind received by flynas since the beginning of 2024, and it is due to receive other batches of aircraft during the year, reinforcing flynas' commitment to sustainability and environmental protection. The A320neo is the most advanced, environmentally friendly, and fuel-efficient single-aisle aircraft worldwide.
flynas connects more than 70 domestic and international destinations with more than 1,500 weekly flights and has flown more than 78 million passengers since its launch in 2007, with the aim to reach 165 domestic and international destinations.

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Fire, Smoke Upend Western Canada’s Summer Tourism Season

A helicopter works a forest fire outside of Jasper, Alberta, Canada, on Friday July 26, 2024. (Reuters)
A helicopter works a forest fire outside of Jasper, Alberta, Canada, on Friday July 26, 2024. (Reuters)
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Fire, Smoke Upend Western Canada’s Summer Tourism Season

A helicopter works a forest fire outside of Jasper, Alberta, Canada, on Friday July 26, 2024. (Reuters)
A helicopter works a forest fire outside of Jasper, Alberta, Canada, on Friday July 26, 2024. (Reuters)

Severe wildfire seasons are increasingly hurting western Canada's lucrative tourism industry, with some visitors beginning to avoid the busy late-summer months due to concerns about uncontrolled blazes, smoke-filled skies and road closures.

After a scorching start to July, nearly 600 wildfires are now ablaze across British Columbia and Alberta, including a huge fire that this week devastated the picturesque tourist town of Jasper in the Canadian Rockies.

Dozens of communities, including popular holiday spots in British Columbia's Kootenay region, are under evacuation orders and several highways are closed.

This year's surge in wildfire activity comes after Canada endured its worst-ever year for wildfires in 2023, when more than 15 million hectares (37 million acres) burned, including parts of the city of West Kelowna in the heart of British Columbia's wine region.

Ellen Walker-Matthews, head of the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association, said the industry was seeing a lot more last-minute travel decisions instead of booking in advance.

"It's a huge blow. July and August are traditionally the busiest months in the region," said Walker-Matthews, adding that while her region has been relatively unscathed by wildfires this summer, some visitors are choosing to avoid interior British Columbia altogether.

The members of the British Columbia Lodging and Campgrounds Association are reporting a 5-15% drop in bookings from a year ago, with the biggest declines coming from the hotter Okanagan and Cariboo regions, said Joss Penny, who heads the association.

"The concern is that this is something we have to live with and we have it every year now," said Penny.

Although wildfires in Canada's forests are natural and common, scientists say drier, hotter conditions fueled by climate change are leading to more volatile and frequent blazes.

'SMOKEY SKIES'

Some events, like the Salmon Arm Roots and Blues Festival, usually held in August, have now been rescheduled to earlier in the summer to avoid what is now seen as peak smoke season. The festival, which was cancelled last year due to nearby wildfires, was this year moved to July to benefit from "less smokey skies."

Wildfires and extreme climatic events are prompting tourists to "change their plans not just temporarily, but permanently," said Elizabeth Halpenny, a tourism researcher and professor at the University of Alberta, noting that seasonal workers in the sector are often the hardest hit as they have few protections during a bad season or amid a cataclysmic fire.

Tourism contributed C$7.2 billion to the British Columbia economy in 2022, and C$9.9 billion to Alberta in 2023, according to the latest government data.

Jasper National Park is one of Canada's premier tourist destinations, with more than 2 million visitors a year flocking to see its pristine mountain landscapes and abundant wildlife, including grizzly bears, moose and elk.

Kelly Torrens, vice-president of product at international tour company Kensington Tours, described western Canada as a bucket-list destination. But the company now has 49 trips that were supposed to pass through Jasper this season in limbo. Six others were forced to evacuate the park when the fire hit.

Parks Canada has cancelled all camping reservations within Jasper National Park until Aug. 6 and with potentially 50% of the town's structures destroyed by fire, the cleanup and rebuild could take years.

Halpenny is among those hedging their bets.

"I've booked a campsite stay in the mountain parks but at the same time, I booked a campsite out on the prairie somewhere and that's my backup plan because I don't want to miss out on my vacation with my family."