Boeing is receiving fresh orders for its 767s from a different part of its order book - 787 customers who's orders are way behind schedule.

Boeing announced around 24 new jetliner orders this week, with nine 767s from an unidentified customer. All Nippon Airways (ANA) too put out a statement saying that it will acquire another nine 767s to substitute for the late deliveries of the 50 787s it has ordered.

ANA was the launch customer for the 787. 

Boeing is expected to foot the bill in terms of several billion dollars in late penalty fees to over 50 customers who placed orders or around 900 Dreamliners. Reports suggest that those penalty payments could most probably include cut-rate deals on other jets like the 767, wherever possible. 

More orders for Boeing's 767s could follow as additional deals come through with 787 customers. Airbus is looking to sell its A330 to some of Boeing's 787 customers.

Among the 24 new orders Boeing won are four 777s and 11 737s, one of which is a business jet. Boeing now has 612 orders in 2008.

Boeing's current backlog includes 55 767s not yet built or delivered. Its 787 Dreamliner is around 14 months behind schedule, on account of delays with Boeing's global partners who fell behind with the new production system being used for the Dreamliner. 

Those delays mean that instead of final assembly, production losses at Boeing's global partners will have to be reworked or completed by workers at Boeing's Everett plant. 

The Dreamliner's first flight was originally scheduled for August or September 2007, which was pushed to end 2008 after a series of delays with the 787 program. However, a strike by Boeing's Machinists union in early September 2008 has shut down Boeing's jetliner production, and would most probably be responsible for resetting the 787s first flight to sometime in early 2009.