Kuwait is in talks with Boeing Co and Airbus SAS about buying aircraft after state-owned Kuwait Airways scrapped an initial 19-plane order with a local lessor, Kuwaiti newspapers reported.
Officials from Kuwait Airways discussed plans with the two companies on Tuesday about renewing their fleet for delivery between 2014 and 2016, talks that will continue today, al-Qabas reported on Wednesday, without citing sources.

Acting Communications Minister Abdulwahid al-Awadhi met Boeing officials on Tuesday and will meet Airbus officials on Wednesday, al-Watan reported.

Kuwait Airways on Tuesday cancelled an initial order with Aviation Lease and Finance Co (Alafco) worth about $3 billion because the carrier failed to get government approval for the purchase.

Alafco, which already had at least some of the planes on order, would have delivered the first planes as early as 2009.

A public relations official for Kuwait Airways declined to comment. Mohammed al-Hilal, Kuwait Airways’ assistant managing director, was not immediately available for comment.
——-