Boeing sales down sharply through July

Published 9:00 pm Thursday, August 9, 2001

By Bryan Corliss

Herald Writer

The Boeing Co. has taken a new order for a 767 from an undisclosed buyer. It is the 25th 767 that Boeing has sold so far this year, more than double the number it sold during all of last year.

The deal would be worth $100 million to $138.5 million at list prices, although discounts are common. It was reported Thursday as part of Boeing’s weekly update on orders.

Last month, Boeing took orders on 12 new planes. Half of those were 737-700s. Three were 777-200ER jets ordered by Singapore Airlines.

Through the end of July, Boeing had sold 192 planes, down sharply from last year’s total of 337 for the first seven months of the year.

Boeing officials say they still hope to take nearly 400 new orders this year.

A key to achieving that will be selling 30 to 40 jets to China, company chairman Phil Condit told reporters and analysts last month.

Chinese airlines said this week they plan to buy about three dozen Boeing jets, according to The Associated Press.

Boeing doesn’t yet have an agreement completed with the Chinese airlines, Commercial Airplanes Group spokesman Bob Saling said.

However, he said, "We’re in discussions with several Chinese airlines and the Chinese government," which would have to approve any sale. Boeing brass is optimistic the deal will be completed "within the relatively near future," he said.

China Eastern and Shanghai Airlines are considering purchase of three or four 737s each, according to The Associated Press. They have list prices between $40 million and $68 million each.

The deal has been snagged by tension resulting from the collision of the Whidbey Island-based EP-3E spy plane with a Chinese fighter jet in April.