Kenya Airways continued its strong association with Boeing by becoming the 28th airline to sign up for the 787 with an order for six dash 8s. The 787s will replace the carrier's six 767s, with two to be delivered in 2010 and four in 2011. Kenya Airways carries more than 2 million passengers annually and has the largest network into Africa. It operates a 21-aircraft fleet comprising mostly 737s, 767s and 777s. Boeing said it has 385 orders and commitments for the Dreamliner.

Airbus said it received orders for 52 aircraft in February from two customers. Air China ordered nine A319s and Indian Airlines finalized a previously announced order for 43 A320 family aircraft. In February 2005, Airbus booked orders for five aircraft--three A319s and two A320s. In the first two months of 2006, it sold 71 aircraft compared with 43 in the year-ago period. Boeing booked orders for 26 aircraft in the period Feb. 1-March 1 inclusive (ATWOnline, March 6).

Airbus announced yesterday that production of the A300/A310 family will come to an end in July 2007 with the handover of the last A300-600F currently on order. "It is in Airbus's best business interest to optimize the use of its resources at this time. . .in response to growing demand from our customers for the newer Airbus products like the A321, the A330/A340 family and the new A350 aircraft," President and CEO Gustav Humbert explained in a statement.

Insiders at Boeing suggest that the replacement for the 737 could be a twin-aisle composite aircraft. The company announced last week that it has formed a team headed by Mike Cave, Boeing Commercial Airplanes VP-aircraft programs, to evaluate a new design. Initial research has focused on the 100-200 seat category, but Embraer's 190 and 195 already are strong competitors at the bottom end of that market segment.

Yemenia Yemen Airways signed a preliminary agreement to purchase six A350-800s, with options for an additional four, Airbus announced yesterday. No engine was selected for the aircraft, which will seat 18 in first class and 265 in economy and begin delivering in 2012. Yemenia currently operates four A310s and two A330-200s in its long-haul fleet.

Gol exercised two more options from its order for 101 737-800s, increasing the number of firm orders to 67 from 65 and leaving 34 options. It currently operates 43 737s and will begin taking delivery of its 737NGs this year. By year end it will operate 12 dash 300s, 26 dash 700s and 20 dash 800s. By 2012 it plans a fleet of 90 aircraft comprising 19 dash 700s and 71 dash 800s.

Royal Air Maroc took delivery of a new 737-700 last weekend.

Boeing received orders for 25 commercial transports and one BBJ in the period Feb. 1-March 1 inclusive, bringing year-to-date orders to 65, according to information on the company's website. February orders included three 737s from Alaska Airlines, three from WestJet and 16 from an unidentified customer(s) for a total of 22. Unidentified customer(s) also ordered two 747s and one 767.