Boeing says 2007 was record sales year

SEATTLE, Jan. 3 (UPI) -- The Boeing Co. says 2007 was a record year with around 1,400 jet aircraft ordered after the firming up of an additional 150 planes sold.

The official yearly sales figure will be released later. Boeing said in a statement in Seattle Thursday.

But, total sales by rival Airbus may be higher with 1,204 gross orders at the end of November. Airbus has beaten Boeing in orders each year since 2000.

The latest finalized deals announced by Boeing this week were for 100 jets for Dubai Aerospace Enterprise, 40 planes for Brazil's low-cost GOL airline, and 12 planes for Vietnam Airlines Corp. and Vietnam Aircraft Leasing Co.

Boeing's best-selling jetliner remains the twin-engine, single-aisle 737 with a record of at least 820 orders in 2007, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported.