United Continental Reportedly Considers Buying New Boeing 767 Passenger Jets

(RTTNews) - United Continental Holdings Inc. (UAL) is considering replacing older wide-body planes with new Boeing Co. (BA) 767 jets, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Boeing stopped making the passenger version of the twin-aisle plane three years ago but recently increased production of models converted for use as military refueling tankers and freighters. Now the aerospace giant is looking at ways to restart production of a passenger 767 to meet emerging demand from airlines seeking to replace aging jets in the next several years, the journal reported citing people familiar with Boeing's plans.

The focus is on reviving the 767-300ER, the most popular version of the jet family which can seat about 200 passengers. This would also help satisfy demand before the company launches a new twin-aisle jet in the middle of the next decade, the report said.

Boeing recently established a program office for its proposed new midsize airplane—dubbed the 797 by some in the industry—but hasn't definitively decided to build the plane.