LE BOURGET, June 19: US aircraft leasing group ILFC said on Tuesday it had placed an order for 63 new airliners with US manufacturer Boeing worth $8.8 billion (6.6 billion euros) at catalogue prices.

The order includes 52 new 787 Dreamliners -- 50 new orders plus an exercised option for two more -- as well as 10 mid-sized 737s and one longhaul 777-300 ER.

The 787 is Boeing's latest mid-sized airliner for long-haul flights and has been marketed as a fuel efficient plane, offering savings on kerosene for airlines.

“We are experiencing strong leasing demand from airlines all over the world for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner,” said Steven Udvar-Hazy, chairman and chief executive of ILFC, in a statement.

The leasing group is now the biggest single client for the 787 following a previous order for 22 planes.

ILFC owns a portfolio of aircraft valued at more than $48 billion, consisting of 900 planes.

Boeing said it had now received 634 firm orders for the 787 Dreamliner, which is to enter service in mid-2008.

ILFC is to take delivery of its first 787 in 2010 with the rest of the planes arriving over the next seven years.

The head of the Boeing 787 programme Mike Bair reiterated that Boeing was on schedule to deliver the first 787 in May next.

Lion Air: Indonesian airline Lion Air has placed a firm order for 40 additional single-aisled Boeing 737-900 ER planes worth more than $3.0 billion at catalogue prices, Boeing said at the Paris Air Show on Monday.

—AFP