The three 155-seat aircraft would be delivered during the second half of 2018, APS said, citing officials.

Tassili Airlines, which is owned by state energy firm Sonatrach, currently has a fleet of 12 planes.

The draft deal was signed by the head of Tassili Airlines, Belkacem Harchaoui, and Boeing's vice-president for Africa and Latin America, Van Rex Gallard.

"The deal was won by Boeing after a national and international tender," APS quoted Harchaoui as saying.

(Reporting by Hamid Ould Ahmed; Editing by Catherine Evans)