Boeing Lands Order Worth $2.5 Billion

Boeing Co. notched its first order of 1998 on Thursday a big one from Southwest Airlines for 59 737-700s with a list price of about $2.5 billion.

Deliveries of the single-aisle twinjets will run through the year 2004, Boeing Commercial Airplane Group said.

Southwest flies an all-737 fleet. The 737-700 seats about 148 passengers.

The planes will be powered by CFM56-7 engines, built by a joint venture of General Electric and Snecma of France.