Aviation giant Boeing has landed an order for 45 jetliners from Asia's number two airline. The order from Japan's All Nippon Airways (ANA) comes as welcome news for Boeing, which found itself put in the shade by European rival Airbus at the recent Paris Air Show.
Airbus's clutch of big orders from a suite of carriers followed news that it is likely to clinch pole position in aircraft deliveries this year - the first time in a quarter of a century of competition between European plane makers and Boeing.
ANA is buying the 737-700s - a single-aisle, 142 seat design - to allow it to retire its current mixed fleet of Airbus and Boeing aircraft.
The company said that by standardising on one aircraft model, it expects to save as much as 6bn yen ($50m; �30m) a year in pilot training and maintenance costs.
The planes' list price is $50m apiece, although ANA is likely to have negotiated significant discounts.
Boeing is to deliver seven aircraft a year starting in April 2005.
One-Minute World News 
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