Etihad Airways plans big Boeing order

SEATTLE — Etihad Airways of the United Arab Emirates said Friday it would order five Boeing Co. 777-300ERs, marking the first time the airline has bought Boeing planes.

The deal for five of Chicago-based Boeing’s long-haul, widebody jets could be worth as much as $1.2 billion at list prices, although airlines usually negotiate steep discounts.

Etihad began operations in November 2003 and has said that it hopes to expand rapidly with routes throughout the world.

Earlier this year, the airline placed a massive order worth more than $7 billion with Boeing’s European rival, Airbus. At the time, Etihad chairman Sheik Ahmed bin Saif Al-Nehyan said Etihad had thought about buying Boeing’s new mid-sized 7E7 jet but didn’t want to wait until 2008, when the airplane is scheduled to go into service.