Boeing finalizes orders with three carriers

LONDON — Low-cost Chinese carrier Ruili Airlines is buying six 787-9 Dreamliners from Boeing in a deal that is valued at $1.59 billion at current list prices.

The purchase, confirmed Wednesday at the Farnborough International Airshow in southern England, is part of Ruili’s strategy to make its base in the Yunnan province the gateway from southwest China to rest of the world.

Ma Zhanwei, the chairman of Ruili Airlines said in a statement that the planes are the right size and have the long range to “make it an ideal fit in facilitating our international expansion plans.”

The carrier was established in February 2014 and operates nine Boeing 737 airplanes on 16 domestic routes with 46 daily departures.

It plans to expand its fleet to 70 airplanes by the end of 2025.

EgyptAir is buying nine Boeing 737-800 airplanes in a deal that has a list value of at $864 million.

EgyptAir’s fleet already includes 20 of the short- to medium-range jets. The airline also owns eight jets in the longer-range Boeing 777 family.

Financing for eight of the airplanes being purchased will be provided by Dubai Aerospace Enterprise based in the United Arab Emirates.

“This order is an endorsement of EgyptAir’s confidence in the 737 and we hope to continue our long-time partnership with the airline as it further grows and strengthens its operations,” said Marty Bentrott, vice president of Sales for Middle East, Russia and Central Asia, Boeing Commercial Airplanes.

And Boeing and Air Europa announced an order for 20 737 MAX 8s.

“The 737 MAX will complement Air Europa’s growing fleet and is the perfect aircraft for our short-haul operations across Europe to feed our long-haul network from hubs in Madrid and Palma,” said Juan José Hidalgo, president, Globalia, the parent company of Air Europa.

Air Europa has pending orders for 22 787-8s and 787-9s as it transitions to an all-Boeing long-haul fleet.