BOC Aviation places order for 82 Boeing 737 planes for $8.8b

BOC Aviation, the Singapore-based leasing subsidiary of Bank of China, said on Monday it has placed an order for 82 Boeing Co 737 series aircraft, worth $8.8 billion at list prices, for delivery from 2016 to 2021.

BOC Aviation, the world's fifth biggest aircraft lessor by assets, said in a statement the order is for 50 of the US jet maker's 737 Max 8 planes, 30 Next Generation 737-800 aircraft and two 777-300ERs.

Buyers typically receive an undisclosed discount on the listed prices of jets.

Boeing said the order is the largest in BOC Aviation's 20-year history.

Monday's order for the upgraded, re-engined variant of the Boeing narrow-body jet follows BOC's deal for 43 of France-based Airbus Group NV's A320 family of aircraft, including seven of the re-engined A320neo planes, at the Farnborough airshow in July. It also ordered 25 A320 aircraft in September 2013.

As of June 30, BOC Aviation had a fleet of 251 delivered aircraft.

Lessors like BOC Aviation place their aircraft with airlines globally, and are increasingly important customers for the planemakers as their share of the global fleets grow.

"Following the successful placement of the 50 Next Generation 737 aircraft that we ordered in 2006, this is a continuation of our commitment to be responsive to airline customers which are expanding or replacing older fleets," Robert Martin, managing director and CEO of BOC Aviation, said in the company's statement.