Company Sells Ten 737-700s To Aero-Mexico, Four To Copa

Boeing and Aeromexico Thursday said the airline is acquiring 10 additional Next-Generation 737-700 airplanes for its fleet-modernization program.

Aeromexico ordered eight of the airplanes from Boeing and is leasing the remainder. As the transaction was completed earlier, Boeing has reflected it on its orders website in the "unidentified" category.

"The 737-700 remains a key solution for our airline," said Aeromexico Chief Executive Officer Fernando Flores. "The superior operating economics of the Next-Generation 737s are especially important in light of continued rising fuel costs."

The airplanes will be delivered between July and December, 2005. This order complements Aeromexico's 2003 order for 15 airplanes, 10 of which have been delivered. The remainder will be delivered by the end of November.

Aeromexico's 737-700s have 112 economy-class seats and 12 Clase Premier seats, and the largest available overhead storage bins. As with Aeromexico's other 737s, the new ones will have Blended Winglets – 8-foot-long wingtip extensions that reduce fuel consumption by approximately 3.5 percent and increase the aircraft's range up to 450 nautical miles. The winglets improve performance at hot, high-altitude airports like Mexico City , reduce airplane noise by lowering the engine thrust required at takeoff, and help reduce engine maintenance costs by reducing wear.

Aeromexico is Mexico's largest airline and a leader in on-time performance and baggage handling. It operates Boeing 767, 757, 737, and MD-80 jetliners. From its Mexico City hub it operates more than 300 daily flights to 30 cities within Mexico, 15 in the United States, two in Europe and three in South America. It's a founding member of SkyTeam, the global airline alliance that also includes Air France, Alitalia, Continental, CSA Czech Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Korean Air and Northwest.

Just A Little Further South...

It wasn't the only deal Boeing announced Thursday. The company also said it reached an agreement with Copa Airlines. The Panamanian carrier will add four new Boeing Next-Generation 737 airplanes to its all-Boeing fleet over the next two years.

Copa ordered two 737-700s from Boeing, which will be delivered in 2006. It will also receive a 737-700 and a 737-800 next year from leasing companies.

Those airplanes will increase the carrier's fleet to 24 Next-Generation 737s -- 20 737-700s and four 737-800s -- and make it one of the newest fleets in the Americas.

"Copa Airlines will have one of the most modern, technologically advanced airplane fleets, allowing it to provide service to New York or Buenos Aires or Santiago," said Toby Bright, Boeing Commercial Airplanes executive vice president of sales. "Boeing is proud of this order from a cutting-edge carrier."

Copa Airlines was the first carrier in the Americas to incorporate blended-winglets on the 737-700. Now all Copa airplanes have the distinctive curved wing ends which improve lift and fuel efficiency. Copa also was the first airline in the Americas to order Boeing Next-Generation 737s with Vertical Situation Display (VSD), a system that provides pilots with an easy-to-understand view of the flight path.

Tocumen International Airport, Copa's hub, is positioned as a time-saving hub on long routes between the United States, South America, Central America and the Caribbean. The Panamanian airline operates four of the world's longest 737 routes out of Tocumen -- to Buenos Aires, Santiago, Sao Paulo and Los Angeles.

FMI: www.boeing.com