European jet maker Airbus has signed a firm contract with EVA Air to sell the Taiwanese airline an additional A330-200 plane, Airbus said on Wednesday. The A330-200 adds to its existing commitment of 10 A330-200s, of which eight are leased from GE Capital Aviation Services and two bought directly from Airbus.
The aircraft is worth $148 million at list prices, an Airbus spokeswoman said, declining to give the contract's value. Airlines often seek discounts from plane-makers.
The first A330-200 plane was delivered in June 2003 and the sixth aircraft is being delivered today, Airbus said.
Airbus said on Tuesday it will take plans for a new mid-sized airliner to the board of parent company EADS next week and hopes to make an announcement on the challenger to arch rival Boeing Co's 7E7 by the end of this year.
European aerospace giant EADS owns an 80 percent stake in Airbus and Britain's BAE Systems owns the rest. EADS shares slipped 0.3 percent.