Start-up airline orders 7E7s as part of $3.8 billion deal

Primaris Airlines, a start-up U.S. airline, plans to buy 20 7E7s and 20 737s, the Boeing Co. announced this morning.

The deal still is being negotiated, Boeing said. It would be worth $3.8 billion at list prices, although it’s likely that Primaris, as a launch customer, will receive a significant discount.

Primaris will start receiving the 737-800s in 2007 and the 7E7-8s in 2010, Boeing said.

The airline is brand new, having received its Federal Aviation Administration operating certificate last year. It is the first U.S. airline to order Boeing’s 7E7.

Boeing so far has firm orders for 52 7E7s, from launch customers All Nippon Airways and Air New Zealand. Two other air carriers — First Choice Holidays of the United Kingdon and Blue Panorama of Italy — have announced tentative deals for a total of 10 more.