Boeing Co. is selling 28 jetliners to International Lease Finance Corp. for 2.9 billion dollars, the aircarft maker said Wednesday, the latest in a string of new orders this week, dpa reported. The order involves 20 narrow-body 737s, to be delivered by 2008, and eight long-haul 777s to be delivered between the end of next year and 2008, dpa reported. The deal underscores the global airline industry's recovery and the strength of Boeing's product range, the company's president for commercial airplanes, Alan Mulally, said in a statement. Boeing is seeking to outsell Airbus this year after being beaten by the Toulouse, France-based company on orders in the past four years. The fresh rivalry comes amid a new EU-U.S. trade dispute over government aid to both manufacturers. On Tuesday, Boeing said General Electric's Commercial Aviation Services (GECAS) has ordered 20 new 737 narrow-body jets worth 1.1 billion dollars. Airbus struck back Wednesday, saying GECAS has signed a letter of intent to buy 10 Airbus A350s. Other Boeing orders or options this week have come from Jet Airways of India and Qatar Airways. --SP 2017 Local Time 1717 GMT
