Saudia, the flag carrier of Saudi Arabia, is in negotiations with both Boeing and Airbus over what the aviation outlet AeroTime describes as a major aircraft order.

The reporting carried under the headline does not specify aircraft types, quantities, delivery schedules, or the split between the two manufacturers. AeroTime is identified as the source of the report; the underlying details available to readers are limited to the headline and its framing.

What is confirmed

Three elements are stated in the available reporting: the carrier at the centre of the talks is Saudia, both Boeing and Airbus are involved, and the order under discussion is characterised as "major." Each is a discrete factual claim on which the report stands or falls.

Why a dual-OEM approach fits the region

Gulf flag carriers have historically balanced Boeing and Airbus types across long-haul networks to manage training, maintenance, and spares costs. A new dual-source commitment would fit a pattern that Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Etihad have also followed in recent fleet planning.

A "major" order, in industry terms, typically implies a triple-digit frame count over the life of the agreement, with mix and timing spread across multiple years. The available reporting does not confirm or quantify that range.

What the headline does not resolve

Several practical questions remain open. The split between Boeing and Airbus is unknown. Within each OEM's catalogue, the distribution between widebody and narrowbody types, and between current-production and in-development programmes, is unaddressed. Options, purchase rights, and sale-and-leaseback structures with major lessors are also not specified.

Engine selection, which materially affects total programme cost, would be a separate decision for any new Boeing or Airbus type. The relevant engine manufacturers hold positions across both OEMs' programmes; the available reporting does not address that choice.

Production and certification backdrop

Any commitment would land against current OEM delivery realities. Boeing's 777-9 has not received FAA type certification and is not in revenue service, while the 787 family is in commercial operation. The Airbus A350 family is in revenue service, and the A321neo remains heavily allocated into the latter half of the decade. Boeing 737 MAX production has been under FAA scrutiny over rate targets.

These constraints shape what Saudia could realistically expect to take delivery of, and when, regardless of how any eventual package is split between the two manufacturers.

What to watch next

Gulf flag carriers have historically used industry events as venues for widebody announcements. The Dubai Airshow in November is the most likely near-term window for a formal disclosure. A public statement from Saudia Group, Boeing Commercial Airplanes, or Airbus Commercial Aircraft would convert the AeroTime report into a verifiable commitment. Until then, the report stands as an unverified but indicative signal that one of the Middle East's larger flag carriers is preparing significant fleet activity.