Boeing aircraft deliveries up 11%

Boeing expects to start delivering the Dreamliner late in 2008

Boeing has said that it delivered 441 commercial aircraft in 2007, which is the most it has managed for six years.

The figure is 11% up on 2006, but may not be enough to beat its big European rival Airbus, which was three planes ahead of Boeing at the end of November.

Airbus is expected to announce its own deliveries and annual orders figures later this month.

When a plane is delivered is important because that is when the manufacturers receive most of their payments.

Three hundred and thirty of the aircraft delivered were next-generation 737 models, which are particularly favoured by low-cost carriers.

Boeing predicted that it will deliver between 480 and 490 aircraft in 2008.

It hopes that its 2008 figure will be boosted by the new 787 Dreamliner, which it expects to start delivering in November or December.