The Boeing Co. said Tuesday it has completed a previously announced deal to sell 10 777s to an Indian airline, Jet Airways.
Irish carrier RyanAir also announced that it planned to acquire an additional nine 737s.
The deal with Jet Airways is worth about $2.5 billion at list prices, although analysts say airlines have been negotiating discounts of 25 percent or more.
Jet Airways, which announced its intention to buy the planes at the Paris air show in June, will start taking deliveries of the 777-300ERs in 2007, Boeing said.
The airline plans to use the new planes to increase service between India and the United Kingdom, and India and the United States, Chairman Naresh Goyal told investors at a conference in India last week.
Earlier this year, Jet Airways placed an order for 10 737s, which will be delivered in 2006 and 2007.
The orders will allow Jet Airways to “ensure its leadership position in the fast-expanding Indian aviation market,” Goyal said in the statement announcing Tuesday’s deal. The new planes will “play a pivotal role in our long-haul growth strategy.”
The airline also is acquiring Airbus A330s for use on routes in Asia.
RyanAir announced Tuesday it was exercising options to buy nine 737-800s in a deal worth about $500 million at list prices. The planes will be delivered in late 2007, the airline said.
RyanAir already has 148 737s on order from Boeing, and said last month that deliveries of seven 737s would be delayed by the Machinists strike.
However, the airline said Tuesday that it expects deliveries to be back on track by December.
Tuesday’s Jet Airways order was the second announced deal for 777s this week. On Sunday, El Al Israel Airlines announced its intention to buy two 777-200ER jets.
Boeing is “pleased El Al has made that announcement,” but the deal has not been signed, spokesman Chuck Cadena said.
As of last week, Boeing had recorded a net of 34 777 orders for the year. That’s more than triple the number of 777s Boeing sold during the first nine months of 2004.
Overall, Boeing recorded 605 net orders through Sept. 27. That’s more than double the 277 it recorded for all of 2004.
Reporter Bryan Corliss: 425-339-3454 or corliss@heraldnet.com.
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