Airbus won a $7-billion order to help more than triple Philippine Airlines' fleet, beating Boeing to a deal despite U.S. support for Manila in a diplomatic dispute with China. The flag carrier plans to buy up to 100 new jets in total within the next five to seven years, the biggest-ever fleet expansion in its 71-year history, as it restructures operations to become a low-cost carrier and regain dominance of the local market from arch-rival Cebu Air Inc. Those purchases would take the fleet to 140 planes, far ahead of Cebu's 38-strong fleet.
