Boeing nabs order for 20 777 jets

Published 10:09 am Thursday, May 6, 2010

The Boeing Co. added an order for 20 of its 777 aircraft to its backlog this week.

The order comes from an unidentified customer, according to Boeing’s orders and deliveries Web site. The company also reduced its total for 777s by four, a cancellation announced last week by El Al Israel Airlines. The transactions bring Boeing’s net order tally to 112 through May 4.

Boeing leads rival Airbus in jet orders this year. Airbus reported yesterday that it has a net tally of 67 orders through the end of April.

Boeing CEO Jim McNerney had hinted last month that the company had orders for the Everett-built 777 that hadn’t been announced yet. McNerney mentioned the orders to explain why the company announced it would boost 777 production next year after reducing it this year.

“We feel comfortable … that the demand will support moving up the rate,” McNerney said, during the company’s quarterly conference call.