Boeing forecasts USD$10 billion Israeli aircraft upgrade

Israeli airlines will buy between 60 and 80 aircraft in the next 20 years, half of which will be wide-body jets such as the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and the 777
 
Drew Magill, director of marketing at Boeing Commercial Airplanes, said last week in a news conference in Israel that "The opening up of the skies to additional routes will mean that airlines operating in Israel will invest $6-10 billion in the purchase of new aircraft over the next 20 years,". Israeli airlines will buy between 60 and 80 aircraft in the next 20 years, of which half will be wide-body jets such as the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and the 777, which can carry between 200 and 400 passengers. Magill noted that Israeli airlines will have to invest to renew their fleets due to an expected rise in the number of destinations to which they fly. Magill, who met El Al officials, estimated that the combination of new 777s the airline recently acquired together with 787s that consume 25% less fuel would be ideal for the airline. He said Boeing was in talks with El Al about the possible purchase of new aircraft but did not elaborate.
 
El Al CEO Haim Romano confirmed that the airline was in talks with Boeing for the purchase of 777 aircraft and newer models of 737 to replace the airline's older model of 757 aircraft, but stressed that no agreement had yet been reached.
 
 El Al, which currently flies only Boeing planes in its fleet of 37 aircraft, has said it expects to have 787s in its fleet by 2011 but is likely to lease the planes at first.