By Eric M. Johnson
FARNBOROUGH, England (Reuters) - Hawaiian Airlines [HAII.UL] said on Thursday it would buy 10 787-9 widebodies from Boeing Co <BA.N> with purchase rights for up to 10 more 787 aircraft, putting pressure on rival Airbus <AIR.PA> to defend its A330neo jet against the Boeing series.
The firm order, valued at $2.82 billion (2.16 billion pounds) at list prices and announced during the Farnborough Air Show in southern England, confirms an order commitment announced in March.
The firm order for 10 787s will be added to Boeing's order backlog, while the 10 purchase rights will remain as commitments.
The Honolulu-based carrier, Hawaii's largest, dropped an earlier order for Airbus A330neos to go with the Boeing series. The first Boeing 787s are expected to arrive in 2021, the companies said in March.
The 787-9 model is the longest-range Dreamliner and Hawaii said the aircraft allows it to offer new destinations to Asia, one of the hottest air travel markets.
(Reporting by Eric M. Johnson; editing by Jason Neely and Adrian Croft)
