Airbus has claimed victory over rival Boeing at the Paris Air Show with a clutch of last-minute orders.
Airbus clinched orders and commitments for 466 aircraft worth $69bn (£44.54bn) at list prices at the week-long show – the world's largest aerospace industry gathering and shop window for new aircraft.
US arch-rival Boeing said it had won firm and provisional orders for 442 aircraft valued at more than $66bn.
During the show Airbus landed 69 commitments worth $21.4bn for its new A350 XWB (extra-wide body) from Singapore Airlines, United Airlines, Air France-KLM, and Sri Lankan.
The aircraft, with a major input in wing design by engineers at Airbus’s Filton plant near Bristol, performed a fly past at Le Bourget, near Paris, the venue for the show. Airbus bosses were desperate for the aircraft to fly at Paris. It had only flown twice before – the first a week ago.
A full Paris Air Show round up will appear in the next issue of WestBusinessNews
