China Southern Airlines, the country's largest carrier by fleet size, said Tuesday it planned to buy 55 Boeing 737s aircraft in a deal that could be worth billions of dollars.
The intended orders are aimed at renewing China Southern's fleet and enhancing its competitiveness in the country's booming aviation market, said a statement filed with the Shanghai bourse.
Deliveries are scheduled to take place from May 2011 to October 2013, although the deal remains subject to approval by its shareholders and the government.
Such a deal could be worth between 3.1 billion dollars to 4.3 billion dollars based on current catalogue prices cited by China Southern.
But China Southern said the actual price would be lower, as it would receive a discount "similar to those from previous purchases with Boeing", without disclosing exact figures.
Boeing signed agreements in November 2005 and April 2006 to supply Chinese airlines a total of 150 737 aircraft.
But the Seattle-based aviation giant said China Southern's latest order — agreed upon by the two sides on Monday — was a separate deal.
"This is a new order," Wang Yukui, Boeing China's vice president of communications, told AFP.
The US group is now working closely with China Southern to finalise the order, said a statement from Boeing.
China Southern currently has a fleet of more than 300 aircraft, according to its website.
