This Article is From Nov 17, 2013

Etihad orders 56 Boeing aircraft, including 25 777X as Dubai Airshow opens

Etihad orders 56 Boeing aircraft, including 25 777X as Dubai Airshow opens

The Etihad Airways headquarters is pictured in Abu Dhabi. (Reuters)

Dubai: Abu Dhabi's Etihad Airways placed an order for 56 Boeing aircraft, including 25 yet-to-be launched long-haul 777X passenger jets, as the Dubai Airshow opened on Sunday.

The order was part of a deal including options for 26 planes, with a total value of $25.2 billion, Etihad chief executive James Hogan said in a joint news conference at the airshow.

The order includes also 30 Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners, making Etihad the largest customer for the plane with 41 previous orders.

It also includes an order for one 777-200 freighter.

Etihad's order for the future 777X airliner, a long-range jet capable of handling 350 to 400 passengers, includes 17 of the larger 777-9X model and eight 777-8Xs.

"Today is an important day in the history of Etihad," said Hogan.

Etihad will be the launch customer for the 777-8X, one of the variants of the new airliner that will enter service around 2020, Boeing said in a statement.

Delivery of the 787 units to Etihad will start in 2018, Hogan said.

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