Air Arabia's 100-jet plan marks rebound from low oil prices

Air Arabia’s expansion could see the carrier order 100 narrow-body planes worth US$11b at list prices before the end of the year. The UAE-based airline hasn’t yet reached a decision but the figure is “probably the right number,” CE Adel Ali said Monday. Air Arabia currently operates a fleet of 50 Airbus A320 jets and is looking at the upgraded Neo version, while also seriously considering Boeing’s rival 737 Max, Ali said. Bombardier’s C Series plane is also in the running as the carrier moves to renew its fleet after full-year profit jumped 29% in 2017 to a record $171m. The carrier is rebounding from a period of overcapacity and lower yields in the Middle East as the low oil price weighed on Gulf economies and concerns about terrorism in North African nations hurt leisure demand. <br/>