Air Algerie has placed with Boeing an order for two Next-Generation 737-700C (Convertible) airplanes, valued at $152 million at current list prices.

The order continues Air Algerie's fleet renewal and expansion following January's order for eight 737-800s.

The addition of 737-700Cs to the Algerian-flag carrier's fleet will provide the airline with increased flexibility depending on passenger and cargo demands. The order was booked in May 2014 and previously posted as unidentified on the Boeing Orders & Deliveries website.

"The 737-700C will provide our fleet with flexibility, and enhances our ability to carry cargo on important routes," said Mohamed Salah Boultif, chief executive officer of Air Algerie.         

Enabling airlines to alternate between passenger and cargo layouts on a daily, weekly or seasonal basis depending on market requirements, the 737-700C highlights the outstanding flexibility of the Next-Generation 737 family.

The 737-700C is a derivative of the 737-700 with strengthened wings, a main-deck cargo door and an in-floor cargo-handling system. In an all-passenger layout, the 737-700C can carry up to 140 passengers, while the all-cargo layout provides up to 40,000 pounds (18,200 kilogrammes) of capacity.

"With an expanding route network, coupled with the growth of the cargo market in North Africa, the 737-700C provides Air Algerie with the flexibility to maximize its revenues across both its passenger and cargo operations," said Van Rex Gallard, vice president of Sales for Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "Boeing is proud of the partnership it has built with Air Algerie over the past five decades and is committed to ensuring that the airline continues to flourish through utilizing our range of exceptional airplanes." 

Based in Algeria's capital city Algiers, at Houari Boumedienne International Airport, Air Algerie currently serves more than 40 destinations across Africa, Asia, Europe, North America and the Middle East. The North African carrier currently operates a fleet of 17 737-800s and five 737-600s and has a total of eight 737-800s and two 737-700Cs unfilled orders from Boeing. - TradeArabia News Service