New orders for Boeing

Boeing and Continental Airlines have announced an order for five 787-9 Dreamliners. This order, combined with the airline's earlier announced orders, brings Continental's total firm 787 order to 25 aircraft.

The airline has also contracted to convert 12 previously ordered 787-8 jetliners to the larger 787-9s.

Continental was the first airline in the Americas to order the 787 Dreamliner, placing its initial order for 10 airplanes in 2004. With this latest announcement, Continental also becomes the first customer in the Americas to order the 787-9.

Boeing says the 787-9 (250-290 passengers) is a slightly larger version of the 787-8 (210 to 250 passengers) with increased seating and range capability (approximately 8,500nmi versus 8,200nmi).

Separately, Boeing and Moscow-based freight company Volga-Dnepr Group have announced an order for five Boeing 747-8 Freighters with purchase rights for an additional five airplanes.

Air Bridge Cargo, a subsidiary of Volga-Dnepr Group, will operate the airplanes valued at $ 1.4bn at list prices. This order was previously accounted for and associated with an unidentified customer on Boeing's Orders and Deliveries website in 2006.

With this order, Volga-Dnepr becomes the seventh customer announced for the new 747-8 Freighter, joining Atlas Air, Cargolux, Emirates, Guggenheim Aviation Partners, Nippon Cargo Airlines and Korean Air.

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