Boeing expects 747 orders this year

7/9/2012

FARNBOROUGH, England — Boeing Co expects orders for the passenger version of its revamped 747 this year, it said at the Farnborough Airshow on Monday, adding the plane was gaining a following since it entered service.

“There are some very, very active campaigns right now,” said Pat Shanahan, senior vice president and general manager of airplane programs for Boeing commercial planes.

“We expect a series of orders for the next few months and over the next year from all parts of the globe.”

Boeing so far this year has booked no orders for the 747-8, its biggest passenger plane which competes with the Airbus A380.

Deutsche Lufthansa took delivery of the first new 747-8 Intercontinental, an upgraded, elongated version of the classic 747, earlier this year.

In May, the head of Lufthansa’s fleet management told reporters he was not happy with the weight of the jumbo jet, but added that would not restrict his airline’s use of the plane.