Air Lease Corp., the Century City aircraft-leasing firm, has placed an order for $9-billion worth of jetliners with Airbus. The deal, based on aircraft list price, includes an order for 25 A350 XWBs, which is a competitor to Boeing Co.'s grounded 787 Dreamliner. Air Lease also firmed up an order to buy 14 A321neos. "The A350 XWB Family is becoming the industry benchmark for efficiency in the long haul segment, and the A320neo Family is ideal for airlines operating short to medium haul missions," Air Lease Corp. Chief Executive Steven F. Udvar-Hazy said in a statement. The A350 XWB (Xtra Wide-Body) is an upcoming jet, seating between 270 and 350 passengers, in typical three-class layouts. The European plane-maker listed the jet as costing between $254.3 million and $332.1 million, depending on the version ordered. It is set to enter service in 2014. There are 617 firm orders for the A350 XWB from 35 customers worldwide, including Air Lease. Udvar-Hazy, a Hungarian emigre, made a name for himself pioneering the business of buying planes and leasing them to airlines when he co-founded International Lease Finance Corp. nearly four decades ago.