Australian flag-carrier Qantas said Saturday it was buying an additional 20 Boeing 787 long-haul airliners as part of a massive fleet expansion first unveiled 18 months ago. Qantas chief executive Geoff Dixon said the extra 20 Dreamliners were on top of an order for 65 of the twin-engined, wide-bodied aircraft that the airline placed in December 2005.
At the time, Qantas said it had placed firm orders for 65 Dreamliners and reserved purchase rights on 50 more, taking the total potential fleet expansion to 115 aircraft. Dixon said the December 2005 order enabled Qantas to lock in competitive pricing and secure delivery slots for the in-demand planes.
"The additional aircraft will better enable Qantas and Jetstar to take advantage of growth opportunities for point-to point flying in the Asia-Pacific region and to new international destinations in Europe, India and the Americas," he said in a statement from Boeing headquarters in Seattle. Dixon said Qantas would take delivery of the first 787s in July next year, with the first 15 earmarked for its budget offshoot Jetstar.
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