0
Air China Buys 45 Boeing Jets
Purchase is one of carrier's biggest buys ever
(AP)
–
Air China plans to buy 45 Boeing 777 and 737 aircraft, reports the AP, a purchase the airline says will increase its capacity by about 35% and help reinforce Beijing's status as a transportation hub. The list price for the planes—one of China's biggest airliner purchases—is $6.3 billion, but the final price is expected to be lower.
Air travel in China is forecast to grow by 9% annually in coming years, driven by a boom that saw the country's economy grow by 10.6% in the first quarter. Air China's first-quarter profits jumped 147%, boosted by the travel boom and the rise of the yuan. Boeing has not confirmed the deal.
Copyright 2009 Newser, LLC. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. AP contributed to this report.