Virgin Blue places $1.5bn order

and

have confirmed that the Brisbane-based company has ordered six Boeing 777-300ER (Extended Range) jetliners, with options for six more, and will lease one additional 777-300ER.

According to Boeing, the new airplanes will allow Virgin Blue to establish its new long-haul airline, providing services from Australia to the United States and other destinations.

The six-airplane order is valued at $1.5bn at list prices. In addition, Boeing said that Virgin Blue had exercised options for five 737-800s valued at $350m. Virgin Blue currently operates an all-Boeing fleet of 53 Next-Generation 737s.

Virgin Blue stated during its recently announced half-yearly results that the new long-haul operation would begin with a limited network initially focusing on the United States.