Associated Press | Boeing Co said Tuesday it would increase the production rate on its
narrow-body 737 model to 35 planes per month in early 2012. The
production rate increase is the second announced for the hot-selling,
single-aisle plane this year.

Boeing said in May that it would boost production to 34 per month from 31.5 per month, citing strong demand.

Boeing, the world’s second-largest plane maker, said the second production rate increase “acknowledges the anticipated long-term growth in this market segment.”

“We’ve managed our current backlog efficiently, and increasing rate is the product of our comprehensive planning and preparation,” said Jim Albaugh, chief executive of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “We will continue to monitor demand as we go forward.”

Boeing and its rival Airbus suffered a slump in orders in 2008 and 2009 amid an economic recession. Demand has improved as the economy recovers.

In March, Chicago-based Boeing said it would speed up planned output rates for two of its popular wide-body aircraft as demand resumed among airline customers.

Orders for Boeing’s commercial aircraft output fell 61 percent to 263 in 2009, as air travel and freight transport slumped.