Air China took delivery of its first A330-200 yesterday in Chengdu. The aircraft seats 283 passengers in a two-class configuration and will serve high-altitude routes for the carrier's Southwest Branch, which operates six A340-300s and 11 A319s.

Skyways Aviation arranged the sale of a Saab 340A from the fleet of sister company Skyways Express of Sweden to Bridges Worldwide, a global provider of network solutions to freight companies. Bridges previously acquired two other Saab 340s that are being converted to full cargo configuration.

In a rare commitment by a US Major for widebody aircraft, Continental Airlines yesterday announced an order for 10 additional 787s, doubling the order it placed in December 2004 (ATWOnline, Jan. 4, 2005) and making it the largest US customer for the Dreamliner. CO also said it will acquire 24 more 737NGs, bringing the number of firm orders for the type to 66. The 20 787s begin delivery in 2009, with the first additional 737 arriving in 2008.

Boeing received orders for at least 32 aircraft in the last week of May from unidentified buyers, according to the Orders and Deliveries chart on the airframer's website and media reports. New orders comprised 20 777s, nine 737s and three 747s and are valued at $5.8 billion, according to Reuters. Boeing reported 347 net orders in the first five months of 2006: 259 737s, 59 787s, 20 777s, five 747s and four 767s.

Continental Airlines confirmed to ATWOnline that it issued an RFP for up to 24 70-seat turboprop aircraft to be operated by a Regional partner. "We are examining options for replacing part or all of the capacity provided by the 69 aircraft which are being withdrawn from our capacity purchase agreement with ExpressJet," said spokesperson Sarah Anthony. "A number of airlines have been invited to submit proposals.