Saudia’s newest Airbus A321neo has been spotted with a new retro-inspired livery after leaving the paint shop. The next-generation narrowbody has been painted in colors much like one of Saudia’s Dreamliners that was seen earlier this month. The livery features horizontal green and blue stripes across the length of a white fuselage, along with Saudi Arabia’s recognizable dark green on the tail, wingtips, and engine cowlings.

The New Livery

Images from Dirk Grothe’s Aviation Photography show the aircraft (registration: HZ-ASAC) as it left the paint shop at Airbus’ facility in Hamburg-Finkenwerder (XFW). Unlike Saudia’s first two A321neos, which feature a blue tail and white body, its third Neo is sporting a retro set of colors inspired by the airline’s 80s-era liveries. It isn’t clear at this stage if the livery is a limited edition or part of a wider re-imagining of Saudia’s livery going forward. One of Saudia’s new Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners was also spotted with the retro-inspired livery this month, suggesting the airline may be rolling out a brand-new livery for its future aircraft.

Previous Retro Liveries

These new liveries are slightly different from the retro design on one of Saudia’s Boeing 777s back in 2021. To celebrate its 75th anniversary, the carrier unveiled a range of unique liveries, such as this calligraphy-inspired design on one of its Dreamliners.

Saudia’s A321neo Fleet

The Saudi Arabian airline welcomed its first A321neo in April of this year, launching operations a month later out of its Jeddah base. The type has since been active on the airline’s European network, including routes to Milan and Frankfurt, and will fly to more European cities over the next few months. According to ch-aviation, the airline has ordered a total of 20 A321neos, as well as 15 Airbus A321XLRs, which are due to arrive in 2024. Saudia’s Neos are powered by two CFM Leap-1A engines and can seat up to 188 passengers – 20 in business class and 168 in economy. They will feature Inmarsat’s GX Aviation-branded Ka-band satellite connectivity solution for inflight connectivity, as well as Panasonic Avionics’ NEXT IFE system, which will offer 4K screens.

Saudia’s new retro-inspired livery is a welcome addition to the airline’s growing fleet. With its newest A321neo sporting the retro design, it remains to be seen if this will be the new livery going forward or simply a one-off. Either way, the airline’s commitment to refreshing its look and feel shows that it is dedicated to providing an exceptional experience for its passengers.

What do you think of Saudia’s new retro-inspired livery for its A321neo?

Also, you might be interested in reading: Qatar Airways Reveals New Retro Livery 777