Boeing jet prices ascend 5.5 percent

Boeing has lifted list prices about 5.5 percent for all of its airplanes, including the 787 Dreamliner set to debut next month, to keep up with the costs of labor and materials.

The price increase is "generally consistent with the inflation rate for manufactured goods," said Boeing spokesman Jim Condelles.

He said rising labor costs were a bigger factor in the increase than the cost of raw materials, though both played a part in the calculations.

Condelles said Boeing generally raises list prices each year to keep up with costs.

The latest annual increase is higher than Boeing's 10-year average of 4.5 percent, Bloomberg News reported, quoting Boeing spokesman Jim Proulx.

As of Thursday, a new 787 could cost from $146 million to $200 million, about 6 percent higher than 2006 list prices, which ranged from $138 million to $188 million, depending on the model.

Prices for Boeing 737s, which have racked up more than 7,000 orders in over 40 years on the market, jumped to $50 million to $85 million, from a range of $47 million to $80.5 million in 2006.

Boeing's list prices, based on different configurations for each type of aircraft, are considered the starting point for negotiations with airlines. Many carriers get deep discounts..

The aircraft maker is on track to roll out its first 787 on July 8 in Everett.