Saudi low-cost carrier flynas confirmed an order for 25 additional Airbus aircraft at the Farnborough Airshow on Wednesday, lifting its total firm commitments to the European manufacturer to 235 planes and its overall orderbook to 280. The deal—for five A330-900 wide-bodies and 20 A321neo single-aisle jets—will support new routes from the airline’s six Saudi bases and help absorb demand linked to Expo 2030 and the 2034 FIFA World Cup. The expansion forms part of a broader fleet build-up across the kingdom, which has become one of the fastest-growing aviation markets globally.

The order book additions come as Gulf carriers place long-term bets on tourism and economic diversification, even while regional security tensions disrupt some air traffic. Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth fund Mubadala used the same show to sign a strategic framework agreement with Brazil’s Embraer, extending beyond capital into industrial supply, maintenance, repair and overhaul, and joint research. The pact is designed to position the UAE as a node in the global aerospace supply chain, with potential roles for local manufacturers Strata and Sanad. Embraer’s chief executive described the UAE as a “strategic partner” that would expand the company’s industrial presence in the Middle East.

Yet the growth ambitions are colliding with persistent manufacturing delays. Emirates President Tim Clark told reporters at Farnborough that the airline now expects its first Boeing 777-9 aircraft in the second quarter of 2027—seven years later than originally scheduled. He warned that the prolonged wait risks the aircraft being technologically overtaken before it enters service, and urged manufacturers not to halt innovation. The US Federal Aviation Administration expects to certify the 777-9 by late 2026 or early 2027, a milestone that will unlock deliveries to Emirates and other customers.

Other orders announced at the show reflected the uneven pace of global fleet renewal. Philippine Airlines placed orders for nine Airbus A350-1000s and 15 Boeing 787-10s, while Caribbean start-up BermudAir ordered ten A220-300s, marking the model’s entry into the region. Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund-owned Helicopter Company added eight Airbus H145s and 11 Leonardo AW139s, part of framework agreements covering up to 120 and 130 rotorcraft respectively. European aviation safety authorities have extended a recommendation to avoid certain Middle Eastern airspace until late July, a reminder that geopolitical risk continues to shadow the region’s aviation expansion.