Northwest Orders 50 Airbus Jetliners

Northwest Airlines said it has concluded an agreement to buy 50 Airbus Industrie aircraft, with an option to buy an additional 100. The contract follows a previously announced memorandum of understanding signed at the Paris Air Show in June. St. Paul, Minn.-based Northwest gave no financial details, but industry watchers said the list price of the planes will be about $2 billion. The deal calls for delivery of 50 Airbus A319s, with an option for up to 100 additional A319s and A320s. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 1999 and continue at the rate of 10 per year through 2003, Northwest said. Northwest’s stock edged up $1.25 to close at $42.88 on Nasdaq.