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SEATTLE - Qantas Airways and Virgin Atlantic were among the airlines getting their chequebooks out today for the flashiest of flash new airplanes, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
Qantas made a firm order for 20 more Dreamliner jets, worth more than US$3 billion ($3.88 billion) at list prices, raising its total firm orders to 65 of the new planes.
The order, announced by Qantas' chief executive at a Boeing event in Seattle, Washington, makes the Australian airline operator the second-largest buyer of Boeing's new plane behind aircraft lessor International Lease Finance Corp. (ILFC)
Qantas CEO Geoff Dixon also said his airline had converted purchase rights to buy a further 20 787s into options, meaning Qantas could end up ordering 85 of the mid-sized, long range jetliners.
The airline still has purchase rights on a further 30 787s, although there is no guarantee those would be upgraded to options or subsequently converted into firm orders.
The additional aircraft will help Qantas and its low-cost Jetstar unit take advantage of growth in long-range, point-to-point flights to the Asia-Pacific region, Europe and the Americas, Mr Dixon said.
Qantas is set to take delivery of the first of its 787s in July next year.
Virgin Atlantic is also due to announce an order for a further eight 787 Dreamliners.
A spokesman for Virgin said the company was confident it would exercise its option to buy a further eight planes, taking its total to 23.
"It is looking like a great aircraft, with the benefits of lower carbon emissions and the ability to fly further non-stop," the spokesman added.
"We are confident it will be a mainstay of our fleet."
Joachim Hunold, chief executive of Air Berlin, said the Dreamliner was perfectly suited for its new long-haul services.
"Passengers will fall in love with this aeroplane," he said.
"The 787's many groundbreaking innovations make it a powerful tool for profitability."
The Dreamliner uses 20 per cent less fuel per passenger than similarly sized aeroplanes, and therefore releases 20 per cent less carbon.
It is also designed for quieter take-offs and landings.
Boeing said the planes have bigger windows, cleaner air, more storage space and improved lighting.
The aircraft engine maker Rolls-Royce also revealed yesterday that it had secured a US$1.3bn engine deal for the Dreamliner.
The order for its Trent 1000 engine from the International Lease Finance Corporation, the largest US-based leasing company, takes orders for the Trent past the 500 mark.
A spokesman for the company, which is the lead engine supplier on the Dreamliner, said this was only the second time in Boeing's history that Rolls had beaten General Electric to be the main supplier on a new aircraft.
The Trent 1000 has been developed specifically for the 787, and is designed to minimise environmental impact.
Sir John Rose, Rolls-Royce chief executive, said the agreement represents the largest order the company has received from ILFC.
Boeing also revealed it had taken a further 25 orders, including 10 options, for the Dreamliner from Air Berlin.
This is the single largest order placed by a European carrier, and is worth US$4bn.
A separate order of 10 planes from the ALAFCO Aviation Lease and Finance company of Kuwait took its total number of confirmed orders to 677 from 47 customers.
The Dreamliner's first flight is expected in August or September, and it is due to go into service next year, with Japan's All Nippon Airways set to be the first recipient, after it placed orders for 50 of the aircraft.
- INDEPENDENT, AAP
