Boeing

China Southern Airlines [NYSE: ZNH] [HKSE: 1055], the largest airline in The People's Republic of China, and The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] today celebrated the delivery of the first Boeing 747-400 Freighter to a Chinese carrier.

Leading the delegations were China Southern Airlines Vice President Yuan Xin An, Southern Airlines Group Vice President Liang Hua Fu and Boeing Commercial Airplanes Sales Vice President Rob Laird.

The new 747-400F is the first all-cargo airplane in the China Southern livery comprising more than 110 modern jetliners.

"Clearly this is an important day for everyone at China Southern Airlines," Yuan said. "Cargo will continue to be an important part of our business mix, and we are very excited to be here in Everett to take delivery of the beautiful new aircraft."

China Southern Airlines' new 747-400F will be flown to Shenzhen, China, where it will be reviewed thoroughly, inspected and ultimately certified by the Civil Aviation Administration of China's Southern China Division. The certification process is expected to take approximately one week. The new airplane will be immediately placed in service on China Southern Airlines' current Shenzhen-Chicago-Shanghai-Shenzhen cargo route.

"China Southern Airlines takes a major step forward in the cargo business with the first 747-400 freighter in China," Laird said. "This airplane allows China Southern to be well-positioned in the cargo market as the world economy recovers."

China Southern Airlines' new 747-400 Freighter has a maximum takeoff weight of 875,000 pounds (396,900 kilograms). The jetliner will fly up to 4,445 nautical miles (8,232 kilometers) and carry 248,300 pounds (112,630 kilograms) of payload. It features both a large side cargo door and a nose cargo door. This combination, unique to 747 factory-produced freighters, will provide the airline with the flexibility to carry extremely tall or long higher-yield cargo and shortened loading times.

Freighter operations were a primary consideration in the development of the Boeing 747. More than 250 747 freighters are in operation with the world's carriers. Boeing is the leading provider of cargo airplanes, accounting for more than 90 percent of the world's total freighter capacity -- half of which is provided by the 747 freighter fleet. The 747-400 Freighter features the lowest operating cost per ton-mile in the industry and carries twice as much cargo, twice as far, as the competitor's leading freighter.