Boeing Announces GOL Airlines Order for 40 Next-Generation 737s

SEATTLE, Jan. 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Boeing (NYSE: BA) and Brazil's GOL Linhas Aereas S.A. (NYSE: GOL, Bovespa: GOLL4), the parent company of Brazil's low-cost airlines GOL Transportes Aereos S.A. and VRG Linhas Aereas S.A., today announced the airline has ordered an additional 40 Next-Generation 737 passenger airplanes. The airplanes will be included in Boeing's 2007 order total.

The order also brings to 127 the number of Next-Generation airplanes GOL has ordered since beginning operations in Brazil in January of 2001. GOL has also confirmed the purchase rights for an additional 40 737s, for a total of 167 737s in the company's projected fleet.

"GOL has garnered international attention by consistently posting profits since beginning operations, and the 737 has been a large part of that success," said John Wojick, Boeing's vice president of Sales for Latin America and the Caribbean. "The Next-Generation 737 enables GOL to continue providing passengers reliable, on-time performance while benefiting from the airplane's reliability and fast airport turnaround times."

"This new contract will help to further reduce our costs and allow us to continue to modernize our fleet with owned aircraft while offering our passengers the lowest fares in the market," said Fernando Rockert de Magalhaes, GOL's technical vice president.

The Next-Generation 737 series is the most technologically advanced airplane family in the single-aisle market. The Next-Generation 737's market success is confirmed by air finance investors, who consistently rank it as the most preferred airplane due to its wide market base, superior efficiency and lowest operating costs in its class.

To date, 110 customers have placed orders for more than 4,400 Next- Generation 737s. Unfilled orders for the Next-Generation 737 exceed 1,900 airplanes, worth over $140 billion at list prices.