Saudi Arabia’s national airline is set to become the launch customer of the new Airbus A330-300 Regional.

At the opening of the Paris Air Show in Le Bourget on Monday, the Saudi Arabian Airlines announced that it would buy 20 of the new aircraft.

In addition, the airline, also known as Saudia, has ordered 30 A320neo (new engine option) aircraft, but the focus on Monday was certainly on the new airplane.

“The A330-300 Regional’s unique flexibility, high capacity and operational capabilities will enable us to expand our domestic and regional network and better absorb growing passenger traffic,” said Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser, director general of Saudi Arabian Airlines.

“Introducing the A330-300 Regional in our current fleet is an ideal choice and follows our previous commitment to a family of aircraft which already successfully helped us achieve our ambitions.”

The single-aisle widebody aircraft will join the airline’s fleet of 12 A330-300s and 50 A320s.

Airbus says the new A330-300 Regional is its solution for markets with large populations and fast growing, concentrated air traffic flows.

“We salute Saudi Arabian Airlines for becoming the launch operator of the A330-300 Regional,” said Airbus CEO John Leahy.

The Airbus A330 family has won more than 1,500 orders from over 100 customers and has more than 1,100 aircraft in operation.

Images are courtesy of Airbus and Saudia.