Airbus may offer new rival to Boeing's 7E7
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-11-23 21:07

Airbus' top salesman gave the clearest indication yet Tuesday that the European aircraft maker plans to develop a new rival to the 7E7 "Dreamliner" being developed by U.S. competitor Boeing Co.

The Boeing-7E7

"A lot of airlines are hoping we do it," John Leahy, chief commercial officer at Airbus SAS, told reporters visiting the company's Toulouse headquarters in southwest France. "Watch this space — I hope we see something by the end of the year."

The A350 would be a long-range, fuel-efficient version of Airbus' A330 airliner and a rival to Boeing's 7E7 which is to be launched in 2008.

Speaking about another planned model from Airbus, Leahy said he expects to be able to firm up a total of 10 orders for the A380 super jumbo jet from Thai International Airways and Etihad Airways in coming weeks. Airbus has booked orders for a total of 139 A380s from 13 airlines. The A380 would seat 555 people and is due to be launched commercially in 2006.

Close

Today's Top News     Top World News
Hu urges Japan to face history, not war shrine         Sabotage not cause of airliner crash         Shanghai GM to recall Buicks on defect         China batch-produces SARS reagent         Three UN hostages in Afghanistan freed         China's oil imports rise to hit record high	Iraq conference to back war on insurgents       Estimated 200,000 protest Ukraine election       Three UN hostages in Afghanistan freed       Iran halts uranium enrichment       Iraqi PM confident about Iraq elections       Jet crashes before picking up elder Bush