Gregory Polek has spent his entire career in aviation journalism with AIN, starting as a proofreader and assistant to then-managing editor Mary Mahoney in 1995 after serving an internship with&nbsp;New Jersey Monthly&nbsp;magazine and completing his B.A. degree in English/Writing at New Jersey’s William Paterson College. By 1997 Polek accepted a position as an associate editor, covering the regional airline beat for&nbsp;Aviation International News&nbsp;in place of retiring industry veteran Don Anderson. The assignment took Polek across North America and Europe to profile regional airlines varying in size and mission from the likes of floatplane operators Kenmore Air and Chalk’s Ocean Airways to regional jet operators such as SkyWest and American Eagle. Today, in his dual role as Air Transport Editor and International Airshow Editor, Polek writes, edits, and manages AIN’s commercial aviation content while overseeing each of the company’s daily international air show publications in Paris, Farnborough, Singapore, and Dubai. Most recently Polek has assumed oversight of daily coverage of the Helicopter Association International’s annual Heli-Expo convention.

Senior Editor

Gregory Polek

Boeing landed separate firm orders from a pair of Algerian airlines today at the Dubai Airshow, for a total of 11 Next Generation 737-800s worth some $825 million at list prices. The orders involved Algiers-based Air Algerie, which signed for seven of the single-aisle jets, and Tasilli Airlines, which signed for four.
Air Algerie’s order increases the size of its Boeing 737NG fleet to 22 airplanes and will deliver higher fuel efficiency and related environmental improvements, the airline’s CEO, Abdelwahid Bouabdallah. “Our purchase of Boeing 737-800s is a natural progression for Air Algerie,” he said. “One advantage is that our pilots and engineers are expertly trained and experienced with the airplane. The 737-800 adds great value to our fleet because it is very high-tech and reliable. Reduced operating and maintenance costs mean our airplanes spend less time on the ground and more time in the air making money.”
Air Algerie ordered its new 737s with Blended Winglets, which, according to Boeing, further reduce fuel burn by approximately 4 percent. A Boeing customer for nearly 40 years, Air Algerie operates a Boeing fleet that includes 10 737-800s, five 737-600s and three 767-300s.
“Air Algerie’s order reflects our company’s solid business partnership of nearly 40 years with the airline and the proven fuel efficiency and reliability of the Next-Generation 737,” said Marty Bentrott, Boeing Commercial Airplanes vice president of sales for the Middle East and Central and South Asia.
Tassili Airlines’ order, meanwhile, marks its first for Boeing airplanes of any kind. A subsidiary of government-owned Sonatrach Petroleum Corporation, Tassili plans to use the 737-800s to transport employees and cargo between large Algerian cities and Sonatrach work sites. Tassili expects to place its 737s into commercial passenger service on domestic and regional routes in the near future.
“Tassili’s selection of the Boeing Next-Generation 737 is a testament to the airplane’s versatility, range and other performance factors,” said Boeing’s Bentrott. “We offered a comprehensive package to support its unique employee-transport needs, including spares, support equipment, ground-handling equipment, tooling and training.”
Boeing holds a delivery backlog of more than 2,100 Next-Generation 737s. &nbsp;Earlier this year, Boeing announced performance enhancements to the Next-Generation 737 that will reduce fuel consumption by 2 percent by 2011 through a combination of airframe and engine improvements.

Boeing Lands Orders from Two Algerian Airlines

Boeing landed separate firm orders from a pair of Algerian airlines today at the Dubai Airshow, for a total of 11 Next Generation 737-800s worth some $825 

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