Boeing on Friday said it will "accelerate planned rate increases" on both the 777 and 747-8 in response to increasing demand "in the recovering airplane market." Last week, Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Jim Albaugh signaled that the company likely would make an announcement in April regarding the 777 (ATWOnline, March 18). The 777 monthly build rate will climb to seven from five in mid-2011, about six months earlier than had been planned.

Continental Airlines plans to take delivery of four 787-8s in the third quarter of 2011 and two more in the fourth quarter, it said in a US Securities and Exchange filing last week. It has 11 -8s and 14 787-9s on order. The fleet plan included in the filing anticipates the 2010 delivery of two 777-200ERs, three 757-300s, two 737-900ERs, 10 737-800s (one of which will not enter service until 2011) and three 737-500s, plus the disposal of six 737 Classics. By year end, CO will have 350 aircraft in the mainline fleet.

Embraer earned a $248.5 million profit in 2009, down 36.1% from the $388.7 million reported the prior year, as the recession and industry downturn contributed to falls in both orders and deliveries. Full-year sales revenue declined 13.7% to $5.47 billion and EBIT dropped 37.5% to $335.6 million from $537 million. The company's commercial aviation segment posted $3.37 billion in revenue, a 20.5% decrease. It delivered 122 commercial aircraft in 2009, down from 162 the year before. Last year's deliveries comprised seven ERJ-145s, 22 E-170s, 11 E-175s, 62 E-190s and 20 E-195s.

Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Jim Albaugh believes China will become a significant competitor in civil aircraft manufacturing, but he does not expect COMAC's C919 to achieve a major sales presence outside the country. "It will probably be a good airplane. Will that be the airplane that they market outside China? Probably not," Albaugh told media this week at Boeing offices in Arlington, Va., adding, "But the airplane after that and the one after that. . .We have to look at China as a real competitor for years to come."

Thai Airways said it will lease 3-6 aircraft with 300-350 seats for 3-5 years each to cover short-term needs, with at least three aircraft joining the fleet by mid-year. It did not offer additional details. It said it carried 3.5 million passengers in the first two months of 2010, up 13.4% from the year-ago period, on a 12% lift in ASKs. January load factor rose 4.8 points year-over-year to 80% and February's climbed 5.2 points to 82.2%.