Meanwhile, its major rivals, American and Delta, placed huge plane orders and are in expansion drives.

Mr. Becker said the board had not discussed any plane orders at its meeting yesterday and that no such item was on the agenda.

One analyst, who asked not to be identified, said United was considering delaying another new plane order.

Stephen N. Wolf, the chairman of United, has said in past interviews that the carrier planned to place a significant plane order.

The board had put off placing the plane order to give the unions a chance to prepare their bids.

Boeing has won much of one of the largest plane orders ever, worth more than $4 billion.

That was the biggest commercial plane order placed last year, and the deal also included an option for 120 more planes.

That is why the plane order needs to go through.

The 5 plane order was confirmed 18 months later.

This is the largest plane order in Copa Airlines history.