Airbus wins 20 billion order from Emirates at Dubai

0 Comments | AFP, November, 2007

DUBAI (AFP) — Airbus overshadowed US rival Boeing at the Dubai air show Sunday, winning an order from Emirates topping 20 billion dollars -- which executives said was the biggest in the European constructor's history.

The order from the Dubai-owned carrier was for 70 midsized A350 XWB (Extra Wide Body) aircraft and 11 A380 superjumbos.

An upbeat Airbus sales chief John Leahy raised forecast sales of the A350 XWB to "more than 300" by year's end. He had expected 200 orders at the start of the year.

Boeing, whose B787 Dreamliner is the major competitor to the A350, won a comparatively modest 3.2 billion dollar order from Emirates for 12 of its B777-300s, bringing the Dubai airline's total outlay for new planes to over 23 billion dollars at the show.

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