(Reuters) – Qatar Airways is close to deciding whether to split its order for large wide-body jets between Boeing (NYSE:) and Airbus, Bloomberg News reported on Sunday, citing people familiar with the matter.
The Middle East carrier is considering ordering around 200 aircraft, looking at a mix of Airbus A350 and Boeing 777X models, with a decision possible as early as the Farnborough Airshow in Britain late next month, it said.
Airbus said it is in ongoing discussions with customers about fleet needs but did not disclose any details, while Boeing deferred to Qatar Airways when asked to comment.
Qatar Airways did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
Bloomberg reported in March that Qatar Airways was in talks with Boeing and Airbus to order 100 to 150 wide-body jets to expand and upgrade its fleet.
Major airlines are looking to buy new, fuel-efficient wide-body aircraft to reduce operating costs and meet growing demand for international travel.