Australian flag-carrier Qantas announced plans Wednesday to buy up to 188 new aircraft from Airbus and Boeing to expand services into South-East Asia and defend local market share. Qantas said it had ordered 31 narrow-bodied Boeing B737-800 aircraft and 68 Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft, with options and purchase rights for an additional 89 aircraft.
"This decision, together with existing A380 and B787 fleet commitments, secures an order stream for next generation aircraft that will allow the group to meet long term demand growth and replace older aircraft over the next decade," said chief executive Geoff Dixon.
Dixon said the new purchases would help Qantas maintain its 65 percent share of the Australian domestic market and support the growth of Qantas and budget offshoot Jetstar, in Australia and Asia.
The A320s and larger A321s will be used by Jetstar to meet growing demand for flights between Australia and South East Asia while the B737-800s will service domestic routes.
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