Egypt Air to buy six Boeing Dreamliners

Cairo-based EgyptAir will buy six of Boeing Co.'s 787-9 Dreamliners to help overhaul its aging fleet as part of a plan that also includes purchases from Airbus, Boeing's France-based rival.

The airline's board of directors recently approved the deal, according to Daily News Egypt, and an official announcement could come later this week.

In addition to the wide-body Dreamliners EgyptAir plans to buy an unspecified number of Airbus A320neo single-aisle planes.

Safwat Musallam, chairman of EgyptAir Holding Co., told the newspaper that the purchases are part of a fleet overhaul in which about 25 planes will be replaced. The Dreamliners would be the first for EgyptAir, although the airline currently has several Boeing 737s and 777s in its fleet.