By Andrew Mills and Dan Catchpole
DOHA/SEATTLE (Reuters) -State carrier Qatar Airways signed a deal on Wednesday to purchase up to 210 widebody jets from Boeing during President Donald Trump’s visit to the Gulf Arab country, a coup for the U.S. planemaker.
The deal for Boeing 777X and 787 planes with GE Aerospace engines was worth $96 billion, according to the White House. It is a win for Trump on a high-profile visit to the region, even though it will be years before the jets are delivered.
The sale is also a boost for Boeing and its biggest engine supplier at a time when large versions of rival Airbus’ A350, powered by Rolls-Royce engines, have struggled with maintenance problems from operating in the world’s hottest climates, including the Gulf region.
Boeing shares rose 0.9% in New York, while GE Aerospace stock edged up 0.1%.
For the 787s, Qatar opted for GE Aerospace’s GEnx engines rather than Rolls-Royce’s Trent 1000, according to the administration. GE Aerospace’s GE9X is the only engine option for the 777X.
It is the largest widebody engine deal for GE Aerospace, the company’s CEO Larry Culp said in a statement.
Trump and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani joined a signing ceremony with Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg and Qatar Airways CEO Badr Mohammed Al-Meer. Trump said Ortberg told him it was the largest jet order in Boeing’s history.
The deal was signed during Trump’s second stop on a tour of Gulf states after he struck a string of deals with Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.
Speaking to the press, Trump said the deal was for 160 airplanes and worth $200 billion. However, the White House later issued a fact sheet stating that it was for up to 210 jets and worth $96 billion.
The 777X is still in development and slated to start deliveries in 2026, six years behind schedule. Qatar Airways already has orders for 94 777Xs. Its competitor, Emirates, has orders for 205 777Xs. The two airlines were among the first customers when Boeing launched the program in 2013.
Boeing’s order book included 521 777X orders and 828 787 orders as of April 30, according to the company.
It is not clear how many of each plane Qatar ordered or whether the orders are firm, which requires a deposit and several contractual obligations, or are options.
The value of the deal is not clear, either. Boeing no longer publishes its catalogue prices, and aviation analysts say airlines typically get large discounts for bulk deals.
Boeing was not immediately available for comment. Qatar Airways did not immediately respond to a request for clarification or comment.
In March, Qatar Chief Commercial Officer Thierry Antinori told Reuters the airline was working on a large order for widebody jets to underpin its longer-term growth plans.
(Reporting by Andrew Mills; additional reporting by Allison Lampert in Montreal, Tim Hepher in Paris and Dan Catchpole in Seattle; writing by Federico Maccioni and Yousef Saba; editing by Mark Heinrich, Ros Russell and Rod Nickel)
