Champagne Flows in Chicago Thanks to the Chinese

Just when the folks over in Chicago and Seattle couldn't have thought it possible t get muchhappier after the big Emirates order (see last post), they can now. Eight Chinese airlines placed an order yesterday - when President Bush was in town - for 70 737-700s and -800s worth about $4 billion. They will be delievered between next year and 2008.

No specifics were given, but the planes will go to Air China, China Eastern, and China Southern. And it seems now that for the first time in five years, Boeing might outsell Airbus - it has 659 orders now compared to Airbus' 494.

Boeing has traditionally been pretty strong in the Asia-Pacific market, even as Airbus has eroded its market share in other regions.

And President Bush has to be happy - he's been doing a lot of complaining lately about the United States' huge trade deficit with China. This order should help cut some of that.