Boeing

Air Berlin, a German airline that provides scheduled tourism service, has ordered two Boeing Next-Generation 737-800 jetliners and announced plans to order two more, The Boeing Company confirmed today.

The first two are existing orders that have been accounted for in cumulative totals published by Boeing. Until today, however, the customer for the order was unidentified. The second two orders are new, and have not been announced previously.

The four airplanes are scheduled for delivery between October 2002 and March 2003.

Air Berlin, with its all-Boeing 737 fleet, flies from cities throughout Germany to sunshine destinations primarily in the Mediterranean, selling seats both through tour operators and on an individual basis. The 737s in Air Berlin's fleet have an average age of less than two years.

"Over the last three years, we have more than doubled the number of passengers we carry," said Achim Hunold, managing partner, Air Berlin. "Therefore, our intention is to replace our Boeing 737-400 aircraft with Boeing 737-800s step by step, and to increase the Boeing 737-800 fleet."

In 1998, the airline flew about two million passengers; in 1999, the total had already reached three million.

"We are not surprised by the tremendous growth Air Berlin has experienced," said Toby Bright, senior vice president-Europe and Russia, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "It is a well-managed airline with the potential for even greater expansion, and we believe it has chosen an airplane that will provide it the flexibility to expand and grow its market presence."