P.M. BRIEFING : $20-Billion Plane Order Planned

Irish-based GPA Group Ltd., the world’s largest aircraft leasing company, is about to place the biggest plane order in history, worth up to $20 billion, a GPA spokesman said today.

James King, chief operations officer of the group formerly known as Guinness Peat Aviation, said about 200 aircraft will be purchased from the West European consortium Airbus Industrie and the U.S. giants Boeing Co. and the McDonnell Douglas Corp. A formal announcement is to be made next week.

“The manufacturers tell us this would make it the biggest aircraft order in aviation history,” King said. The largest so far is U.S. carrier Delta Airlines’ $10.5-billion order last September which totaled 225 Boeing and McDonnell Douglas aircraft, including options.