New $US13.8 billion Singapore deal includes Boeing 777-9s.

Singapore Airlines has signed a deal for 20 Boeing 777-9s  and 19 Boeing 787-10s worth $US13.8 billion at list prices. The deal was announced at a signing ceremony at the White House on Monday attended by US President Donald Trump and Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong as well as and Singapore Airlines (SIA) chief executive Goh Choon Phong and Boeing officials. The order, aimed at catering for growth and part of SIA's fleet modernisation program,  has previously been revealed by Boeing but the customer was not identified. The 777-9 seats 400-425 passengers with a range of 7,600 nautical miles (14,075 km) and Boeing says it will have the lowest operating cost per seat of any commercial aircraft. The planes are intended primarily for long-haul routes and are due for delivery from the 2021/22 financial year. "SIA has been a Boeing customer for many decades and we are pleased to have finalised this major order for widebody aircraft, which will enable us to continue operating a modern and fuel-efficient fleet," Goh said in a statement. "These new aircraft will also provide the SIA Group with new growth opportunities, allowing us to expand our network and offer even more travel options for our customers." Singapore has  more than 50 777s in service and is the launch customer of the 787-10, which is set to deliver in the first half of 2018. It has already has 30 787-10s coming from a 2013 deal and the additional order boosts its total commitment to 49. The 787-10s, which carry more people than the 787-9s but do not have the range of the smaller plane, are destined for medium-haul operations and those from the latest order are due to arrive from the 2020-21 financial year. The latest batch of 39 firm orders is accompanied by six options for each aircraft type  which, if exercised, would boost the deal to 51 aircraft. Singapore is also taking delivery of the Airbus A350-900ULR from rival Airbus for use in 2018 on ultra long-haul routes such as Singapore-New York and is already flying the A350-900. Including the long-haul variants, it has orders for 67 A350s.