By Ahmed Elimam, Federico Maccioni and Tim Hepher
(Reuters) -Airbus won a provisional order for 150 A321neo jets from flydubai on Tuesday worth $24 billion, ousting Boeing as exclusive supplier to the fast-growing budget carrier and bouncing back from a muted start to the Dubai Airshow.
The deal on the second day of the show came after Reuters reported on Sunday that Europe’s Airbus was set to win a three-digit order from the government-owned Dubai carrier.
“It’s an exciting step for expanding and diversifying our fleet,” flydubai Chairman Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum told a news conference.
The deal is worth $24 billion and includes an option for another 100 aircraft, he said in a post on X, adding it will allow the carrier “to meet the increasing demand in our markets”.
‘WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG?’
Flydubai has previously bought jets from Boeing since it was founded in 2008 as sister airline to Dubai’s Emirates, prompting Airbus Commercial CEO Christian Scherer, sitting alongside Sheikh Ahmed on Tuesday, to joke: “What took you so long?”
Boeing has been negotiating to salvage part of the growth requirements of one of its most important 737 MAX operators, industry sources said earlier in the week.
Talks were continuing on Tuesday for a potential order for dozens of Boeing jets, people familiar with the matter said.
A deal is not guaranteed as negotiations remain fluid, but if confirmed, it would most likely still leave Airbus with the majority of the airline’s new business while roughly balancing the overall fleet, they said.
Boeing declined to comment. Flydubai was not immediately available for comment.
DEAL FOLLOWS MONDAY’S BOEING ORDER FROM EMIRATES
Flydubai currently operates some 95 Boeing 737s, including 69 MAX jets, and has more on order.
Tuesday’s announcement was the second commercial coup at the show after Boeing secured a surprise order on Monday for 65 more of its 777X jets from Emirates despite severe delays.
Emirates Airline President Tim Clark said on Tuesday that it was not yet ready to order the competing Airbus A350-1000, squashing speculation of a deal at the show.
Also on Tuesday, Etihad Airways ordered a mix of Airbus A350s and A330neos.
(Reporting by Ahmed Elimam and Federico Maccioni; Editing by Susan Fenton, Louise Heavens and Jan Harvey)
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