The Boeing Co. landed orders for 11 of its 737 single-aisle aircraft on the third day of the Dubai Air Show, the company said Tuesday.
Boeing’s rival Airbus had announced orders for 15 commercial jets during the first two days of the air show. Both carriers are dealing with a drop in orders as airlines struggle with declines in passengers. Boeing’s orders are worth nearly $800 million at list prices, though customers rarely pay those prices.
Air Algerie placed an order for seven 737-800s, Boeing said Tuesday. The carrier, based in Algeria, will have 22 Next-Generation 737s with the new order. Air Algerie, which has been a Boeing customer for 40 years, will receive its new 737s with blended winglets, curved wingtips that improve fuel efficiency.
“The 737-800 adds great value to our fleet because it is very high-tech and reliable,” said Abdelwahid Bouabdallah, chief executive of the carrier. “Reduced operating and maintenance costs mean our airplanes spend less time on the ground and more time in the air making money.”
Tassili Airlines, also based in Algeria, placed an order for four 737-800s on Tuesday. The airline is a subsidiary of government-owned Sonatrach Petroleum Corporation. Tassili will use the new 737s to transport employees and cargo between large Algerian cities and Sonatrach work sites.
“Tassili’s selection of the Boeing Next-Generation 737 is a testament to the airplane’s versatility, range and other performance factors,” said Marty Bentrott, Boeing’s sales vice president in the region. “We offered a comprehensive package to support its unique employee-transport needs, including spares, support equipment, ground-handling equipment, tooling and training.”
The new requests should bring Boeing’s year-to-date order tally to 95, provided Boeing doesn’t log in any new cancellations this week.
Airbus also announced an order for two A380s on Tuesday. The order came from Air Austral, based in Saint Denis, La Reunion, off the coast of Madagascar. The carrier will configure the superjumbo jet for 840 passengers.
Through the end of October, Airbus had recorded 123 net orders, not including new requests it picked up at the Dubai Air Show, which runs through the Thursday.
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