Japanese air carrier to buy 20 more Boeing 787 Dreamliners to expand jet fleet

Japan's five-star airlines All Nippon Airways (ANA) will spend more than 5 billion U.S. dollars to buy up to 20 more Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, U.S. airplane giant Boeing Company said Tuesday.

The new purchase ordered by ANA will be composed of 11 Boeing 787-10 jets, one 787-9 Dreamliner and options for five Boeing 787-9 aircrafts.

ANA said the 787-10 Dreamliners, which have been selected to serve its domestic routes, will enter service between 2022 and 2024, while the 787-9 jets are scheduled for international flights in four years.

The Japanese carrier plans to replace its aging Boeing 777 planes, which are set to retire, with the new 787-10 jets that are famous for being ultra-efficient and pleasing for passengers.

The latest order for the wide-body Dreamliners will be ANA's sixth purchase of the aircraft, which will eventually bring to 103 the airlines' overall number of Boeing 787 planes in active service by 2025.

"Boeing's 787s have served ANA with distinction, and we are proud to expand our fleet by adding more of these technologically-advanced aircraft," said Yutaka Ito, executive vice president of ANA.