May 9 (Reuters) - British Airways owner IAG

said on Friday that it will place an order for 53 new Airbus

and Boeing ( BA ) long-haul aircraft.

The order consists of 32 Boeing 787-10 aircraft for British

Airways and 21 Airbus A330-900neo aircraft, which may be

assigned to IAG's airline brands including Aer Lingus, Iberia,

and LEVEL, the company said.

The United States on Thursday had said Britain would

purchase $10 billion of Boeing ( BA ) jets.

Industry sources said IAG would also buy some 30 jets

from Europe's Airbus as part of a wide-body order split between

the European planemaker and its U.S. rival.

The order adds to an already large backlog of Boeing ( BA ) planes

slated for UK purchasers - 149 in total, according to Boeing's ( BA )

published backlog.

Planemakers have been wrestling with supply chain snags and

other challenges that have delayed deliveries.

Boeing ( BA ) is trying to ramp up production of its strongest

selling 737 MAX jet to a rate of 38 per month this year, after a

difficult 2024 when output slumped due to a broad quality crisis

that led to the replacement of its CEO.

IAG is among the most influential aircraft buyers and its

decisions are closely watched by other airlines.

As global trade tensions continue to ripple, high-value

aircraft deals by major players are drawing wider attention.

Bloomberg News on Thursday reported that IAG was poised to

order 30 Boeing 787s and could secure options for further

purchases.