By Robert Wall and Jon Ostrower
LE BOURGET, France--Korean Air Lines Ltd. (003490.SE) has signed
deals with Airbus Group SE (AIR.FR) and Boeing Co. (BA) for up to
102 new single-aisle and twin-aisle aircraft.
The Seoul-based carrier placed a commitment with Boeing for up
to 50 single-aisle 737 Max jets, including 30 firm orders and 20
options.
It also signed an agreement to buy 30 A321neo jets and took
options for 20 more, with the first of the planes due in 2019,
Airbus said, giving the Toulouse-based plane maker a foothold in a
long-time Boeing single-aisle jet operator.
Korean Air group chairman and chief executive Cho Yang Ho also
said the carrier was evaluating the European plane maker's A350
long-range jet for a potential purchase.
The airline also ordered two Boeing 777-300ER jets, bolstering
the U.S. plane maker's production of its long-range jetliner.
Boeing is hoping to avoid cutting production of its lucrative 777
before it switches output to the 777X, a 350 to 400-seat jet.
"We are ordering the best of each class," Korean Air's Mr. Cho
said.
Airbus also said Taiwan's EVA Airways would buy four A330
widebodies.
Air Lease Corp. (AL), the first buyer of Airbus's A321LR jet
that is intended to replace the out-of-production Boeing 757
airliners, Tuesday said it had placed the first of the planes
ordered last year with Air Astana. The first of four jetliners will
enter service at the airline, which also is leasing a regular
A321neo and two smaller A320neo single-aisle planes from ALC, the
leasing company's chief executive Steven F. Udvar-Hazy said.
Write to Robert Wall at Robert.Wall@wsj.com and Jon Ostrower at
Jon.Ostrower@wsj.com
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