Japanese carriers close in on jet orders as soon as Paris show

Japan’s two biggest airlines are in advanced talks to buy aircraft from Airbus and Boeing, with announcements possible as soon as the Paris Air Show this month, according to people familiar with the matter. All Nippon Airways is looking to place orders for as many as 50 Airbus A321neo jets, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing confidential deliberations. Japan Airlines Co. is working to secure single-aisle aircraft, including the A321neo, along with Boeing 787 widebodies. ANA wants to introduce short-to-mid-haul aircraft as part of a plan to exceed its pre-pandemic fleet size by 2030, President Shinichi Inoue said at the IATA annual general meeting in Istanbul. He declined to comment on specific interest in future aircraft orders. The airline is looking to replace its fleet of older Boeing 767s, a midsize widebody no longer being made for passenger use, and its remaining 737s, the people said. Japan has traditionally been a stronghold for Boeing, which has used the country’s close political and trade ties with the US to build a dominant position among carriers in the market. Airbus has made some inroads in the country, and the A321neo has become one of its best-selling models because it offers range and improved fuel economies over older Boeing jets.<br/>