DALLAS — International Airlines Group (IAG), the parent company of British Airways (BA), has ordered 53 new aircraft needed to meet demand after profits almost tripled at the start of 2025. International Airlines Group (IAG) has ordered the jets to pump up its medium-term long-haul fleet. The order consists of 21 Airbus A330-900neo and 32 Boeing 787-10 jets.

The Airbus aircraft are destined for IAG's Iberia (IB), Aer Lingus (EI), and LEVEL (LL) brands. Rolls-Royce engines will power them, while the Boeing planes will be for British Airways and use General Electric engines.

According to IAG, about one-third of the 53 aircraft will help grow its core markets: North Atlantic, Latin America, and intra-Europe.

Delivery is expected between 2028 and 2033. On Friday, IAG did not mention how much it paid for them.

Luis Gallego, chief executive of IAG, said, “Looking ahead to the next decade, these new aircraft will enable us to strengthen our core markets and further improve our customer experience, while continuing to drive long-term value for our shareholders.”

Trade Deal?

On Thursday, US Trade Secretary Howard Lutnick said that an unnamed British airline had agreed to purchase US$10 billion of Boeing planes as part of a new UK-US trade deal. However, IAG indicated that the talks had no bearing on the purchase.

“It is helpful for us, but it wasn’t part of the decision,” IAG’s chief financial officer Nicholas Cadbury said of the agreement. According to the Financial Times, the plane orders were part of “long-term” planning. However, any way to reduce tariffs on aerospace companies, which faced the base import tariff of 10 per cent, was welcomed.

Operating Profit Triples

IAG also revealed that its operating profit nearly tripled to €198 million (US$224 million) in the three months ending March. This compares to €68 million (US$77 million) over the same period last year and analyst estimates of €158 million (US$178 million).

Earnings benefited from lower fuel prices and total turnover. Passenger revenue increased by 6.5 percent, helped by high leisure demand, higher capacity, and a large foreign exchange boost. 

Despite the macroeconomic uncertainty, Gallego noted that the group continues to see resilient demand for air travel across all its markets, particularly in the premium cabins.

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