LONDON, May 9 — IAG, owner of British Airways and Spanish carrier Iberia, announced today a new multi-billion dollar order for Boeing and Airbus planes, as it maintained its outlook despite economic uncertainty.
The statement came a day after Britain and United States struck a trade deal to ease tariffs, during which US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick teased that Britain will announce US$10 billion (RM42 billion) in new orders for Boeing planes.
IAG announced orders for 32 planes from Boeing and 21 from Airbus.
The company said the latest orders add to those exercised in March for 12 Airbus and six Boeing planes, bringing the total number of orders announced today to 71.
“These new aircraft will enable IAG’s airlines to grow and replace their long-haul fleets,” the company said in a statement.
Signage for IAG (International Airlines Group) is seen at the British Airways headquarters and IAG head office in Harmondsworth, London March 13, 2025. — Reuters pic
The orders followed a turnaround in IAG’s first quarter performance.
Profit after tax rose to €176 million (RM851 million) in the first three months of 2025, up from a 4-million euro loss a year earlier.
“We continue to see resilient demand for air travel across all our markets, particularly in the premium cabins and despite the macroeconomic uncertainty,” IAG said in an earnings statement.
The aviation industry, among other sectors, is subject to US President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs, which places a baseline 10 per cent levy on imports to the United States.
The head of Airbus on Tuesday said that Europe should impose tariffs on imports of US aircraft maker Boeing if negotiations over Trump’s tariffs war fail. — AFP