OREANDA-NEWS. Boeing (NYSE: BA) and Air France marked a milestone today with the delivery of the airline's 70th 777.

The French flag carrier has played a pivotal role is the success of the 777 program and was the launch customer for both the 777-300ER in 2004 and the 777 Freighter in 2009. Air France took delivery of its first 777-200ER in March 1998.

"The 777 range has been one of the pillars of Air France's fleet growth," said Fr?d?ric Gagey, CEO of Air France. "The Boeing 777 has gained a reputation for its reliability, economic performance and comfort, offering our passengers the highest standards."

Since the late 1950s when it took delivery of its first 707, Air France has operated nearly every commercial airplane Boeing has produced. Today, the 777 is the workhorse of the Paris-based carrier's long-haul fleet, with the airline serving more than 179 destinations in 80 countries last year.

"Air France has successfully utilized 777 variants across both its passenger and cargo operations for two decades to remain at the forefront of commercial aviation in terms of performance, economics and passenger comfort," said John Wojick, senior vice president Global Sales and Marketing, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "We are honored that a carrier as prestigious as Air France has chosen the 777 to form the backbone of its long-haul fleet and are proud of our historic partnership that stretches back more than 60 years."

Air France is part of the Air France-KLM Group, which is the second largest 777 operator in the world. The Group also has unfilled orders for 25 787 Dreamliners as well as lease agreements for an additional 12 787s.