Korean Air Lines plans to buy 33 of Airbus’s (OTCPK:EADSY) (OTCPK:EADSF) A350 wide-body jets in an order valued at $13.7 billion. South Korea’s flag carrier aims to expand its long-haul fleet while retiring older planes, it said Thursday.
The order includes 27 A350-1000s and six A350-900s, which will be deployed on global routes such as Seoul to New York. Despite the announced value of $13.7 billion, aircraft makers typically offer discounts from the list price on bigger orders.
Korean Air said the order supports its integration with rival Asiana Airlines. The European Union last month granted preliminary approval for the $1.29 billion acquisition.
The announcement of the order came the same day that Boeing (NYSE:BA) and Airbus (OTCPK:EADSY) (OTCPK:EADSF) received an order for 42 new planes from Japan Airlines (OTCPK:JAPSY) (OTCPK:JPNRF).