Flag carrier Air China said it would purchase 45 planes from US aircraft manufacturer Boeing in what is said to be one of the biggest plane orders from a Chinese airline, Reuters reported. Air China will buy 15 Boeing 777s and 30 Boeing 737s, with a total list price of US$6.3 billion, although the Chinese airline said in a statement that it expects to receive concessions that will lower that price. The planes, which will be delivered between 2011 and 2015, will boost Air China’s carrying capacity by around 35% from its 2007 level. Air China said it would raise the funds to pay for the planes through earnings, bank loans and other financing tools. Boeing did not confirm the order but said in a statement that it was "looking forward to finalizing [its] commercial negotiations" with Air China.
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