Jade Cargo International finally confirmed its order for six 747-400ERFs valued at $1.3 billion for delivery from January 2006 through January 2008. It previously had been listed by Boeing as an unidentified customer. The deal takes Boeing's 2005 747 order book to 19 net of cancellations. Jade Cargo, based in Shenzhen, plans to begin operations in 2006. It was founded in October 2004 and is the first joint venture airline of its kind in China, with ownership split among Shenzhen Airlines, Lufthansa Cargo and DEG, a subsidiary of KfW-Bank Group.

American Airlines ordered 20 Aviation Partners Boeing 757 blended winglet shipsets and took options on an additional 123 sets, which would cover its entire 757 fleet. AA will retrofit the winglets at its Tulsa maintenance base beginning in November. As part of the agreement, it also will retrofit a 737-800 with winglets in October.

Southwest Airlines has "strongly requested" that Boeing develop a more fuel-efficient successor to the 737-700 that would use technology developed for the 787, the Seattle Times reported earlier this week. CEO Gary Kelly made the remark during an interview in Seattle. "We are now facing energy prices that no airline can make money at, at least with today's [ticket prices], so we're anxious to partner with Boeing to find a successor aircraft," the newspaper quoted Kelly as saying.

Influx of Embraer 190s at JetBlue will require the addition of some 3,000 new employees over the next year, according to COO Dave Barger. Currently the company hires about six employees per day but that number will move up to eight to accommodate the new aircraft deliveries, Barger said this week in Brazil at the handover of the first 190 (ATWOnline, Sept. 14). "By the end of the year, we will have eight," said CEO David Neeleman.

JetBlue Airways took delivery of the first Embraer 190 in ceremonies in Brazil Tuesday. It has ordered 100 of the GE CF34-powered aircraft, which will be configured for 100 passengers in a 2-2 arrangement. The 190 received FAA certification Sept. 2, three days after Brazilian certification. "Today is a day JetBlue customers and crewmembers have been looking forward to for years," said CEO David Neeleman, who attended the handover.