Air France-KLM Confirms Order for 25 Wide-Bodied Boeing 787 Jets

European airlines group, Air France-KLM, announced, on Tuesday, a deal to purchase 25 wide-bodied Boeing 787 Dreamliners.

The planes are reportedly part of a 50-plane order for long-haul carriers split with Boeing's European rivals Airbus; the total order is worth $12 billion. In addition, the deal also includes options to purchase 60 more aircraft, taking the value of the deal, potentially, to $27 billion.

Air France-KLM confirms the signing of a firm order with Boeing to acquire 25 Boeing 787-9s and 25 options to buy. The first Boeing 787-9 will enter service with KLM in 2016 and then with Air France later, a spokesman told the AFP.

Apart from this, Air France-KLM also announced plans to acquire Airbus A350-900 jets. According to company officials, there are ongoing negotiations with Airbus, a wholly-owned division of the European Aeronautic Defence & Space Co. (EAD.FR) and engine-maker Rolls Royce PLC (RR.LN) for terms of these contracts.

With this deal, Boeing has embarked on its challenge to boost its sales for the current year, despite losing to Airbus in 2011.

Following the release of the figures, Boeing's President and Chief Executive Officer, Jim Albaugh, said the goal for the company in 2012 was to ensure that 787 productions are stable and reliable, while maintaining focus on execution as we deliver an increasing number of airplanes across all our programs.

Over the years, the rivalry between Boeing and Airbus has increased and now can be intensely felt, over mutual accusations of subsidies.