Royal Jet (ROJ, Abu Dhabi International) acting president and CEO, Captain Patrick Gordon, says Airbus and Gulfstream Aerospace are also being considered as possible options in the business aviation specialist's USD700million fleet renewal and expansion programme. Funding will come from local Emirati banks.

“We have changed the direction of the company a little bit,” Gordon told Gulf Business news. “You have to set a higher hurdle and strive for that. Our target is 20 planes and we think we can do it. The majority will be in the larger class.”

Already a prominent Boeing and Bombardier Aerospace operator, a decision on which aircraft will be ordered will only be made some time next year, he added.

A joint venture between Abu Dhabi Aviation and the Presidential Flight, Royal Jet is looking to double its fleet by 2020. Currently it operates a fleet of Boeing Business Jets (BBJ1), an Embraer Lineage 100 BJ, Learjet 60s, and Bombardier Global 5000s with additional aircraft due next year.