Ryanair orders 22 Boeing jets

Ryanair expects to be flying more Boeing 737-800 aircraft by 2004

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LONDON, England -- Irish cut-price airline Ryanair said on Friday it had ordered 22 more planes from Boeing in a $1 billion deal, with options to buy another 78 aircraft.

"This means the European low-fair carrier has committed to 250 737-800s since January 2002," Ryanair and Boeing said in a joint statement. "Of those commitments, 125 are orders and 125 are options."

The deal for 22 planes plus options for 78 is worth $6 billion.

Ryanair said the aircraft will "create 3,000 new jobs in Ryanair, with over 800 pilots, more than 2,000 cabin crew and over 200 engineering and operational people."

Ryanair, Europe's second-biggest budget airline, said the 22 jets were scheduled for delivery in 2004 and 2005.

Ryanair also announced on Friday it was buying rival Buzz from Dutch carrier KLM for 23.9 million euros ($25.8 million) as it expands its regional operations. (Full story)

The Boeing jets will replace Buzz's BAe-146 fleet, which will KLM will take back "without cost" within a year, Ryanair said.

Ryanair shares were down 3.7 percent to 6.34 euros in morning trading in Dublin.

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