SINGAPORE (February 23, 2000) - Boeing executives at Asian Aerospace have confirmed that the company is examining a 70-seat variant of the 717 to tap the booming regional market. The company is hoping that a planned 30% reduction in production costs by the 300th aircraft will offset the normal disadvantages of shrinking a design.

If that cost reduction is factored in Boeing says its could match the proposed CRJ-900 from Bombardier.