Boeing banking on Japanese support

BOEING, last week, said it hopes to sign up the first customers for its proposed 7E7 jetliner early in 2004, and is ‘encouraged’ by talks with Japanese airlines, which are seen as crucial to its success. Forbes.com reports that Boeing, which is planning to put the midsized 7E7 into service in 2008, said it had held several meetings with Asia's two biggest airlines, Japan Airlines System (JAL) and All Nippon Airways (ANA), over the last year. "We are very encouraged by the dialogue," Walter Gillette, Boeing vice president of engineering, manufacturing and partner alignment, told Reuters after a news conference in Tokyo. "The airlines are very interested... We believe the 7E7 will fit very well with the needs of JAL and ANA in the future." (Corin Baker)