Norton Rose Fulbright advises Saudia on purchase of 50 eVTOL jets

Global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright has advised Saudia on its purchase of 50 electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) jets from Lilium GmbH, with options for the purchase of 50 more.

The deal is the largest order of eVTOL aircraft from an airline to date in the MENA region and forms part of Saudia’s strategy to position itself as a MENA leader in the eVTOL industry.

The order consists of both premium and shuttle aircraft, which will be used for both tourism and business transport associated with Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Global project, part of the country’s Vision 2030 program.

Dan Cowdy, a partner at Norton Rose Fulbright, commented:

“We were delighted to assist our client Saudia with this order of 50 eVTOL jets, the largest global order to date. This new fleet of electric aircraft demonstrates the airline’s commitment to becoming a leader in this industry.”

Norton Rose Fulbright’s global aviation lawyers work with airlines, banks and financiers, lessors, manufacturers, insurers, export credit agencies, governments and regulatory bodies on the full range of aviation legal services, including fleet selection programs, partnering arrangements with fellow carriers, travel companies and other third parties, restructurings, competition law compliance and a range of employment issues. The team also advises on major aircraft financing and leasing transactions, including acting on significant ‘first-of-their-kind’ matters.