Boeing Sets Third Consecutive Record for Commercial Airplane Orders in 2007

SEATTLE, Jan. 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Boeing Company (NYSE: BA) recorded 1,413 net commercial airplane orders during 2007, reaching more than 1,000 orders for an unprecedented third consecutive year, and setting a Boeing record for total orders in a single year.

Boeing also set new order records for the 787 Dreamliner, the 737, and for Boeing freighters.

The 2007 total surpasses the previous Boeing records of 1,044 net orders in 2006 and the 1,002 orders set in 2005. Gross orders in 2007, which exclude cancellations and conversions, totaled 1,423. Boeing recorded 1,050 gross orders in 2006 and 1,029 gross orders in 2005. Unfilled orders for Boeing Commercial Airplanes is now over 3,400 airplanes.

"It has been another strong year for commercial aviation, and we are grateful for our customers' trust in our team, and our products and services," said Scott Carson, Boeing Commercial Airplanes president and chief executive officer. "We deeply appreciate the role we play in our customers' plans for growth and success, and we are focused on meeting our commitments.

"Clearly we've had our share of challenges during the past year, but our customers understand the issues, and market acceptance of our products and services has been nothing short of remarkable," Carson said. "With a balanced base of customers from all regions of the world, from airlines with varied business models, and with strong orders across our product line, we are now focused on executing this strong backlog position."

In total, 80 different customers ordered Boeing airplanes in 2007, including passenger airlines, cargo carriers, leasing companies, and unidentified customers.

"2007 told us that global demand for commercial airplanes remains strong and sustained. And we've responded with what is clearly the strongest product lineup that we've ever had, from the Next-Generation 737 through the 747-8, 767, 777, and our newest family, the 787 Dreamliner," Carson said. "We are able to offer more new-technology airplanes to our customers than ever before, aircraft that are quieter and more fuel efficient, with significantly lower carbon dioxide emissions and reduced impact on local communities."

The 787 program enjoyed a record-setting year with 369 orders in 2007. The Dreamliner is the fastest-selling new airplane program in history with a total of 817 orders since launch in 2004. Contracts finalized at the end of 2007 included the 787th (British Airways) and 800th (Vietnam Airlines/Vietnam Aircraft Leasing) orders for the Dreamliner.

The 737 program had the strongest sales year in its history, setting a third consecutive record, with net orders of 846 airplanes. The previous record totals for a single year for the 737 program were 729 net orders in 2006 and 569 net orders in 2005.

Boeing freighters also enjoyed a third consecutive record sales year, with 83 gross orders for freighters in 2007, compared with gross orders for 81 freighters in 2006 and 74 freighters in 2005.

Twin-aisle commercial airplane sales continued strong, in a year in which both the 767 and 777 surpassed 1,000 total program orders. 777 orders marked the second strongest year in program history, with 141 net orders in 2007. The 747 program finished the year with 21 net orders, and the 767 program had 36 net orders.

Boeing has posted its year-end orders information on its Orders and Deliveries Website http://active.boeing.com/commercial/orders/index.cfm.

The 200 orders booked since the Dec. 18, 2007, update include: Boeing Business Jet (one 737 and one 787), British Airways (24 787s), Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (70 737s, five 747-8Fs, 10 777s, and 15 787s), GOL Airlines (40 737s), Jeju Air (five 737s), VALC (eight 787s), Vietnam Airlines (four 787s), and Unidentified (17 737s).

    Below are the net and gross orders totals for Boeing for the past three
years:
                   2005                  2006                  2007
               Net      Gross        Net      Gross        Net      Gross
    737        569        574        729        733        846        850
    747        43          48        72          72        21          25
    767        15          19        10           8        36          36
    777        154        153        76          77        141        143
    787        235        235        157        160        369        369
    Total      1,002*   1,029        1,044    1,050        1,413    1,423

    * Net total reflects deduction of 14 cancelled orders resulting from the
      717 program termination in 2005



    Among notable highlights for Boeing Commercial Airplanes in 2007:

    -- First Dreamlifter delivered the first 787 assemblies; second
       Dreamlifter took first flight and entered service; 787 final assembly
       began; 787 program celebrated the rollout of the first airplane, and
       surpassed milestones of 500, 600, 700, and 800 orders since launch
    -- 747 program surpassed the 1,500 order mark; 747-8 Intercontinental
       completed firm configuration; 747-8 Freighter completed 25% design
       release; first delivery of a new production 747 Freighter to a Russian
       carrier
    -- 767 program reached 1,000 orders with an order for 27 767-300
       Freighters for UPS, which, when delivered, will nearly double the UPS
       767 Freighter fleet
    -- Boeing entered into environmental partnerships with Virgin Atlantic and
       GE Aviation, and with Air New Zealand and Rolls-Royce for joint biofuel
       demonstration flights
    -- 737 program celebrated 7,000th order; first delivery of the 737-700ER
       to launch customer ANA; first delivery of 737-900ER to launch customer
       Lion Air
    -- Boeing Business Jets had another record year, with 25 orders, including
       8 widebody VIP airplanes
    -- Boeing Integrated Material Management established a new service center
       in Singapore; Alteon opened a new training center in Shanghai
    -- Boeing's response rate for urgent airline service requests through the
       Operations Center reached 95.5%
    -- Rolls Royce and General Electric joined the 787 GoldCare Program as
       part of the supplier network
    -- Boeing acquired C-Map, a wholly-owned subsidiary reporting to Jeppesen
    -- Boeing Fabrication Composites Manufacturing Center rolled out the first
       787 vertical fin; Boeing Portland earned ISO14001 certification
    -- Major assembly began for the first P-8A Poseidon
    -- 777 became the best selling twin-aisle, twin-engine airplane,
       surpassing 1,000 orders; completed 90 percent design release for 777
       Freighter, with production set for early 2008; first 777 deliveries to
       new customers celebrated, including Air India, Jet Airways and Qatar
       Airways
    -- Delivery of 3,000th Everett-built widebody airplane; Everett factory
       celebrated 40th anniversary; Everett tour center celebrated three
       millionth visitor