Bombardier signed a contract with Petroleum Air Services of Egypt for a Q300. PAS previously ordered four Q300s. Baltia Airlines, a startup that will serve St. Petersburg and the Baltics out of New York JFK, said it has secured one 747 for use beginning later this year.

TAME of Ecuador took delivery of its first two 76-seat Embraer 170s. It also has an order for a 104-seat 190 and options on an additional four aircraft from the 170/190 family.

Qantas will convert four 737-300s to freighters for domestic operator Australian air Express. Work will commence next month and be completed by January, with the aircraft entering service as they are completed from August. The program will use conversion kits developed by Israel Aircraft Industries' Bedek Aviation division. The 737s will replace a fleet of 727-200s. Australian air Express is owned jointly by Qantas and Australia Post.

Excel Airways, a UK-based charter carrier, will purchase 10 Aviation Partners Boeing Blended Winglet shipsets for its fleet of 737-800s, four of which are leased from ILFC and six owned jointly by GE Commercial Aviation Services and Royal Bank of Scotland. APB said Excel will save more than 115,000 gal. of fuel per aircraft per year using the winglets.

Boeing is in final negotiations with Emirates for up to 50 787-10s, which will become the fourth model of the fastest-selling twin-aisle aircraft in history. Mike Bair, VP and GM of the 787 program, told media yesterday in a global conference call, "It's not a matter of if but when we are going to do it. We have three versions and there have been a few customers, most notably Emirates, that have asked us for a stretched version with 300 seats." He indicated that up to a dozen carriers are in discussion with Boeing about the model, which would be ready for service late 2012.