PARIS — American Airlines announced a record order for 460 new single-aisle planes from Airbus and Boeing on Wednesday, a deal worth more than $38 billion that breaks the longstanding monopoly that Boeing has had with the fourth-largest U.S. carrier and forced a significant shift in strategy for the U.S. jet maker.
American, based in Fort Worth, Texas, said that it planned to acquire 260 of the Airbus A320 aircraft and 200 Boeing 737s — half of which will be equipped with a new, more fuel-efficient engine. The move represents a clear commitment by Boeing to revamp its best-selling 737 with new engines, rather than develop an all-new version of the plane — a strategy that until now it had said most of its customers preferred.
The deal, which American described as the largest commercial aircraft deal in history, also includes options and purchase rights for as many as 465 additional planes through 2025.
Full story: Jet order by American is a coup for Boeing’s rival