P.M. BRIEFING : JAS, Qantas Order From Boeing

Boeing Co. today picked up another $1 billion in business with jetliner orders from Japan Air System Co. and Qantas Airways.

Japan Air System ordered four Boeing 747-400 jumbo jets and took options for four more, Boeing Commercial Airplane Group said. Qantas ordered one 747-400 and four 767-300 wide-body jets, worth about $560 million, including spare parts.

The firm orders by JAS are worth more than $520 million, and the total package will be worth more than $1 billion if the options are exercised, Boeing said.

The order represents the first placed with Boeing by JAS, Japan’s third-largest airline and formerly a domestic-only carrier.

JAS will specify engine types at a later date. Qantas chose Rolls-Royce engines for its new 747 and General Electric engines for its 767s.

So far this year customers have ordered 67 Boeing jetliners, valued at about $6 billion.