Singapore Airlines said Wednesday it will buy 20 Boeing 787-9 aircraft for $4.52 billion, hours after it expressed unhappiness about delays in Airbus' delivery of its A380 superjumbo.

In a statement, the carrier said it has purchase rights for another 20 aircraft from Chicago-based Boeing.

The decision is a stinging blow for Airbus, which hoped Singapore Airlines would be one of the first and biggest customers for another new model, the A350, that would compete directly with Boeing's 787. But airline and leasing company dissatisfaction with the design of the A350 has led Airbus to consider a costly redesign of the plane, delaying its launch for several years.

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