NEW YORK, Aug. 21 (UPI) -- The success of the Boeing 737 among U.S. and international airline might delay the advent of its more fuel efficient successor -- the Boeing 787.
Gary C. Kelly, chief executive of Southwest Airlines, says the Boeing 787, which Boeing has dubbed the "Dreamliner," is in fact his dream plane. It will be a midrange, 220-passenger plane that Boeing says will be vastly more fuel efficient and aerodynamic than the Boeing 757 it replaces.
"We want Boeing to come out with the Dreamliner version of the 737 at some point," Kelly told the New York Times in an interview.
However, Kelly, whose airline only flies the Boeing 737, says he's still very happy with the Boeing 737. Southwest Airlines is buying about one Boeing 737 a month.
Boeing doesn't plan to build the Boeing 787 while the 737 is still selling strong, according to Randy J. Tinseth, the director of marketing for Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
"The Dreamliner has really opened a lot of peoples' eyes."
