Avianca Airlines places $1.5bn order

Boeing and Colombia's Avianca Airlines this week announced the airline has ordered 10 787s, making it the first South American carrier to order the 787.

The order, worth approximately $1.5bn at list prices, was previously credited to an unidentified customer on Boeing's Orders and Deliveries Web site.

This week’s order, made on March 28, also includes purchase rights for an additional 10 787s.

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is scheduled for entry into service in 2008. Thirty-nine airlines have logged 491 orders worth more than $75bn at current list prices since its launch in April 2004. According to Boeing, this makes the Dreamliner the most successful commercial airplane launch in history.