Air China to buy 45 Boeing aircraft

China’s national flag carrier, Air China, said it was planning to buy 45 Boeing aircraft in one of the country’s biggest airliner purchases. The decision suggests that the airline believes its recent drop in passenger numbers is just temporary.

Air China said on its Web site that it was going to order 15 Boeing 777 and 30 Boeing 737 jets.

The total list price for the planes is $6.3 billion, but the Beijing-based airline anticipated that it would ultimately sign the deal at a lower price.

The planes, expected to be delivered between 2011 and 2015, will boost Air China’s carrying capacity by about 35% from its 2007 level.

Source: Forbes