An Air China 737-800 (B-5341) takes off on its delivery flight from Boeing Field in Seattle. (Photo by Eric Dunetz)
Boeing on Thursday announced it has finalized an order with Air China for 20 Next-Generation 737-800 aircraft. The deal was already announced by Air China in a statement to the Hong Kong stock exchange last week.
The airline, which is China’s leading carrier, said it would pay nearly 1.4 billion U.S. dollars to buy the aircraft, payable by cash in several installments. The company said it would finance the transaction with its own working capital and commercial bank loans.
Air China said Boeing had given the company ‘significant price concessions’ and said the delivery of the aircraft will be done in stages from 2013 to 2015. Boeing itself did not release information about the transaction.
Air China said it would expand its fleet and meet growing customer demand.
“Our long-standing and productive partnership with Air China goes back to the airline’s beginning and we’re proud to be part of their success,” said Jim Simon, vice president of Boeing’s China Sales. “Air China’s order reflects our solid partnership and the proven performance of the Next-Generation 737 in its fleet.”
The new order will, after delivery, raise the number of planes in Air China’s fleet to nearly 300.
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