The planned airline has selected the Airbus A320neo family to start medium-haul operations, and was reported earlier this year to be looking at 14 larger wide-body Airbus or Boeing jets.

Airbus, which is expected to unveil several orders at this week's Farnborough Airshow, declined to comment.

The airline, founded with the aim of challenging Asian network carriers by former EVA Airways chairman Chang Kuo-wei, was not available for comment.

If confirmed, a deal for 14 A350s would be worth about $4 billion at list prices.

(Reporting by Tim Hepher, Editing by Eric M. Johnson)