Boeing

China Yunnan Airlines, headquartered in Kunming, Yunnan Province, has ordered two 737-300s, valued at approximately US$68 million, Boeing Commercial Airplane Group today confirmed. The company's first two announced airplane orders in 1997 have come from airlines in China, with Air China placing an order for two 747s earlier this July.

"As the most reliable airplane in its class, the 737 is the perfect choice for China Yunnan," said President Xue Xiaoming of China Yunnan Airlines. "We are very pleased to add two more 737s to our all-Boeing fleet," he added. The airplanes, powered by CFM56-3 engines, are scheduled for delivery in 1997.

China Yunnan Airlines currently offers service to most major destinations within China and several cities in Southeast Asia including Bangkok and Singapore. The two new 737-300s will allow the airline to add new destinations and increase frequency to existing ones.

"Airlines are developing a market advantage in China by investing in new Boeing equipment which allows them to provide a high-quality service," said Larry Dickenson, vice president, International Sales, Asia/Pacific, Boeing Commercial Airplane Group. "This order is a strong vote of confidence by Yunnan in Boeing airplanes as a contributor to the airline's business objectives."

China Yunnan Airlines currently operates 10 Boeing 737s and two 767-300s. The airline is scheduled to take delivery of an additional 767-300 later this July.

Airlines in China have taken delivery of more than 250 Boeing airplanes, representing more than 60 percent of the market for Western-built commercial jet aircraft. China's airlines took delivery of 19 Boeing airplanes in 1996 - 8 percent of the company's output.