Boeing ups offer for used jets

Boeing Co, the world's biggest aircraft maker, has raised its offer price for five A340-300 aircraft owned by China Airlines Co (華航) as part of its bid to win an order from the Taiwan airline for its 777 jetliners, a Chinese-language newspaper reported Sunday, citing unnamed sources. Boeing has offered to increase its total offer by US$110 million, the paper said, without stating the amount. That bid, though, falls US$155 million short of the offer from Airbus, the paper said, without identifying its source. China Airlines, about 71 percent owned by a state-run China Aviation Development Foundation (航發基金), said in June it planned to order new aircraft in the second half of this year to modernize its fleet and improve its safety record. Boeing has previously purchased Airbus A340s from Singapore Airlines Ltd in order to secure an order for its 777s.