Privately-owned carrier SaudiGulf Airlines has made an order for 10 Airbus A320/A321neo aircraft with an option to acquire 10 more, it was announced at the Bahrain International Air Show.

The deal is worth $2.1bn, according to Samer Majali, SaudiGulf CEO.

They expect delivery to commence in the second half of 2019, at a rate of eight new aircraft a year.

“We are very optimistic about air travel in the region and Saudi Arabia,” Majali said, citing improved access and tourism within the kingdom specifically and in the region generally.

SaudiGulf began commercial operations in October 2016. The airline started with two daily flights between Dammam, its main hub, and Riyadh.

It currently operates additional flights between Dammam and Dubai, Lahore and Islamabad.

Majali said they plan to expand to destinations in the Far East and Europe with the new aircraft order.

In addition to SaudiGulf and state-backed Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia), Saudi Arabia now has three low-cost carriers: Flynas, Flyadeal and Nesma Air.