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FP - ‘Next chapter of growth’: WestJet buying up to 20 Boeing Dreamliners with eye on Asia and Latin America

WestJet Airlines is expanding its international reach with the purchase of at least 10 Dreamliner aircraft from Boeing Co., part of a larger strategy that will see the Calgary-based airline look for growth in both ultra-low-cost and longer-haul segments.

WestJet announced Tuesday that it is scheduled to receive 10 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners between the first quarter of 2019 and December 2021, and has an option to buy an additional 10 airplanes to be delivered between 2020 and 2024.

The purchase of the wide-body, longer-route jets — which are more fuel-efficient than the Boeing 767 — will allow the company to serve new destinations in Asia and South America, as well as expand its European service.

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