By Andrew Mills
DOHA (Reuters) -State carrier Qatar Airways signed a deal on Wednesday to purchase jets from U.S. manufacturer Boeing during President Donald Trump’s visit to the Gulf Arab country.
Trump said the deal was worth $200 billion and included 160 jets. Trump and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani witnessed the signing ceremony in Doha.
The deal was signed during Trump’s second stop on a tour of Gulf states after he struck a string of deals with Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.
Trump said Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg, who signed the deal with Qatar Airways CEO Badr Mohammed Al-Meer next to Trump and the Qatari emir, told him “it’s the largest order of jets in the history of Boeing, that’s good”.
Trump added: “It’s over $200 billion but 160 in terms of the jets, that’s fantastic. So that’s a record, Kelly, and congratulations to Boeing. Get those planes out there, get them out there.”
It’s not clear which Boeing aircraft models would be part of the deal and whether the orders from Qatar are firm, which require a deposit and several contractual obligations, or are options.
Boeing no longer issues catalogue prices but based on the most recent published value for its most expensive jet, the 777X, a deal for 160 of the long-range aircraft would be worth some $70 billion. Aviation analysts say that airlines typically get large discounts for bulk deals.
Boeing was not immediately available for comment. Qatar Airways did not immediately respond to a request for clarification or comment.
(Reporting by Andrew Mills; additional reporting by Allison Lampert in Montreal and Tim Hepher in Paris; writing by Federico Maccioni and Yousef Saba; editing by Mark Heinrich and Ros Russell)
