09 July 07
Air Berlin Strikes £2bn deal with Boeing
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Air Berlin has struck a $4 billion (£2
billion) deal for 25 Boeing 787 Dreamliners.
The order is the largest placed by any
European carrier and underlines the airline's ambitions to enter the
budget long-haul sector. Air Berlin signalled this ambition a few months
ago with its purchase of German long-haul charter carrier LTU. The
latest announcement came just hours before the new aircraft was unveiled
at Boeing's Seattle plant.
Joachim Hunold, Air Berlin's chief
executive, says: "The aircraft will deliver the optimum combination
of fuel efficiency, environmental performance and passenger comfort.
"These factors are essential for
us to successfully grow our business and deliver a superior product for
customers."
On top of the 25 orders, Air Berlin has
secured 10 options and 15 purchase rights for additional 787s.
It did not announce an engine supplier
for its 787s.
A Kuwaiti lease company also announced
the purchase of 10 Dreamliners on Saturday, bringing the total number of
the new Boeing sold worldwide to 677.
Boeing says the first test flight will
take place in August or September.
Japan's All Nippon Airways will be the
first airline to put the Dreamliner into service next year.
Elsewhere, a report in The Observer
claimed that Virgin Atlantic is to unveil an order for a further eight
Dreamliners.
It was also announced this weekend that
Rolls Royce has secured a $1.3bn (£646m) engine deal for the 787
Dreamliner from US leasing company IL
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