Indonesia's Lion Air to buy 230 new Boeing 737

Indonesia's budget airlines firm, Lion Air, announced its huge order of 230 new Boeing 737 planes worth 21.7 billion U.S. dollars, a statement released by Lion Air said here on Friday. The signing of the order that makes Boeing's biggest-ever commercial plane order was conducted in Bali on Friday morning, witnessed by U.S. President Barrack Obama when attending the ASEAN Summit here. Also witnessing the purchase order signing ceremony were senior officials of both countries. The purchase order was signed by Lion Air President Director Rusdi Kirana and Boeing Senior Vice President Sales and Customer Support Raymond L Conner, the statement said. The new Boeing 737 planes ordered by Lion Air consisted of 201 Boeing 737 MAX and 29 Boeing 737 ER planes. The airlines initially ordered 178 Boeing 737-900 ER. With the latest ordered signed on Friday, Lion Air would operate 408 of that kind of planes. Delivery of the initial order has commenced since 2007 and the last will be done in 2016. The first batch order was worth 16 billion U.S. dollars. Planes ordered in the second batch would be delivered from 2017 to 2025, the statement said. Lion Air currently has a fleet of 65 planes, mainly 737 series, including 54 bought directly from Boeing several years ago. The company's fleet expansion plans are in line with its ambition to become the largest airlines in Indonesia.