Nineteen of the total 70 Boeing 737 airplanes that China ordered one month ago have been delivered to their owners, Beijing News reported Friday.

Major Chinese domestic airlines started to share a cake of the big deal with US aircraft giant Boeing this week. 

According to the newspaper report, Shanghai-based Eastern airlines bought four 737NG plans for 1.84-billion yuan (about US$230 million) this week. The four plans will be delivered from August 2007 to October 2008.

Officials with the Eastern Airlines noted that these new plans will be used on the rising domestic middle and short trip routes.

The Shenzhen Airlines in south China also inked a deal for buying five 737-800 planes, which would likely be delivered starting from summer of 2008.

Another Chinese airline, the Xiamen Airlines will purchase ten 737-800 plans from Boeing.

Domestic Chinese airlines also showed great interest on the big order of 150 A320 plans signed recently between China and the Airbus. And relevant distribution on the deal has also been started among Chinese airlines.

Moreover, sources from the Shenzhen Airlines said that the company plans to buy six airbus planes next year.

(Xinhua News Agency December 24, 2005)