Boeing Gets More Orders for 7E7 Jets

Boeing Co., the second-largest maker of commercial airplanes, said it had received deposits from 24 airlines for more than 100 of its new 7E7 airliners, in addition to agreements for 62 planes so far.

Deposits from airlines lead to orders about 90% of the time, Boeing Senior Vice President Michael Bair said. The 100 planes, with a list price of about $125 million each, not including discounts often given to customers, would be worth $12.5 billion.

Boeing is collecting orders toward Bair’s goal of having 500 orders by the first flight in 2007.

Earlier Wednesday, Boeing announced it had won orders valued at $1.2 billion for 10 7E7 airliners from British charter airline First Choice Holidays and Italian vacation airline Blue Panorama, the first European customers for the aircraft.

Boeing says the 200-to-300-seat aircraft will use 20% less fuel than similar-sized planes, such as its 767 or Airbus’ A330. The company also has agreements with Japan’s All Nippon Airways Co. to buy 50 7E7s, and Air New Zealand Ltd. has committed to two.

The Chicago-based company is counting on the 7E7, which it has dubbed “Dreamliner,” to help it regain leadership in the global market for civil airliners from Toulouse, France-based Airbus.

Boeing’s decision to build the 7E7 is based on the company’s belief that airline passengers would want to fly directly to destinations with lower populations than through layovers at large airports such as in Tokyo or London.

Airbus, which passed Boeing last year in deliveries for the first time, is building the 550-seat A380, based on its expectation of demand for larger planes to fly between those hub airports. The A380 is due to start flying in 2006.

Boeing shares rose 8 cents to $49.39 on the New York Stock Exchange.