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28 March 2024

American Airlines orders 460 jets

Published
By AFP

American Airlines on Wednesday announced a massive multi-billion-dollar order for 200 Boeing 737 and 260 Airbus A320 passenger jets.

The deal, which they described as the "largest aircraft order in history," is for planes are to be delivered between 2013 and 2022.

The purchase marks a major setback for Boeing because most of American Airline's fleet is made up of jets built by the US aerospace giant.

The Fort Worth, Texas-based AMR Corporation, the parent company of American Airlines, said the deal will allow the company "to replace and transform American's narrowbody fleet over five years and solidify its fleet plan into the next decade.

"These new aircraft will allow American to reduce its operating and fuel costs and deliver state-of-the-art amenities to customers," the company said in a statement.

AMR chairman and chief executive Gerard Arpey said that with the purchase his company expects to have "the youngest and most fuel-efficient fleet among our peers in the US industry within five years.

"This new fleet will dramatically improve our fuel and operating costs, while enhancing our financial flexibility," he said.

In a separate statement, Boeing confirmed American's purchase of 200 narrowbody airplanes --- including 100 Next-Generation 737s -- with options for 100 more.

American Airlines currently has more than 600 Boeing airplanes, includes 156 Next-Generation 737-800s, Boeing said.

The Next-Generation 737s are five percent more fuel efficient than the first of the models delivered in 1998, Boeing said.