Struck By Lightning

[rjemery]

PM Tony Blair recently travelled to the USA to meet with President Bush. He arrived at Andrews AFB near Washington, DC, aboard a chartered BA 777. While on approach, one wing of the plane was struck by lightning.

How common are such lightning strikes of commercial aircraft?

[Notso Fantastic]

Frequent. Depending on what area you fly in, known lightning strikes can occur anything from weekly to 6 monthly. There are probably several times as many not known about.
Take a look at
http://lightning.pwr.eng.osaka-u.ac.jp/lrg/temp/plane.html
believed to be a Japanese ANA 747 at Osaka