PARIS - AIR New Zealand has ordered 14 Airbus single-aisle A320 aircraft worth US$1.07 billion (S$1.5 billion) at catalog prices to replace Boeing jets, the European plane maker said Tuesday.

Airbus said in a statement that New Zealand's national carrier has also placed purchase options for a further eleven A320s. Airlines often negotiate discounts to the list prices.

The single aisle A320 is larger than the Boeing 737-300s it will replace, enabling the carrier to increase capacity, Airbus said.

After several bumper years, planemakers are seeing fewer orders this year as airlines cope with persistently high fuel prices, weak demand and falling fares.

Airbus is ahead of its American rival in net orders this year because Boeing has a higher number of cancellations. As of Sept 30, Airbus had captured 123 net jet orders, compared with Boeing's Oct 27 tally of 84. -- AP