Airbus wins $27 billion orders from US Air, Qatar Airways
By Our Corporate Bureau | 18 Jun 2007
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Mumbai: Airbus SAS, which is struggling to hold its lead over US rival Boeing Co., won $27 billion in orders and commitments from US Airways Group and Qatar Airways at the Paris Air Show.
Qatar's order includes 80 A350 XWB airliners and three double-decker A380s, Airbus chief executive Louis Gallois said at the Paris Air Show.
Airbus also won a commitment from Emirates, Middle East's largest airline, to buy eight A380s valued at $2.55 billion.
A final purchase would take Emirates' total order for the double-decker plane to 55.
The A350 deals are a boost for Airbus in the most lucrative segment of the $60 billion-a-year commercial aircraft market, medium-sized long-range jets. Airbus had 13 orders for the A350 before the start of the show.
Boeing has received 584 orders for its 787 Dreamliner, which enters service in 2008.
The Qatar A350s are worth $16 billion at catalogue prices. The three superjumbos take the total order value to $17 billion at list prices.
Emirates expects the A380 to bring fuel savings of between 15 per cent and 18 per cent compared with a Boeing 777-300, its president Tim Clark said.
