Le Bourget (France), June 17: As its European rival basked in a record-setting order for 41 planes, Boeing Corp. laid out its vision yesterday for retaking the lead in the fiercely competitive aviation industry: the newly christened 7E7 Dreamliner. At the Paris air show, Boeing executives confidently predicted that the comfy, sleek and fuel-efficient 200-seat jet is what customers will really want once the aviation gloom lifts.
But it was Airbus' signing of a 12.5 billion US dollar order for 41 airliners - including the much-heralded Superjumbo - from the fast-rising gulf carrier Emirates that stole the limelight at the show.
Airbus officials hailed the deal as the largest purchase of wide body jets, both in price and number of planes. It included 20 four-engine A340s and 21 A380 super jumbos - Airbus' planned rival to the Boeing 747.
"This will be our big order of the show," John Leahy, head of Airbus' commercial aircraft division, told the on the sidelines of a news conference at the 8-day event.
Including earlier deals, Dubai-based Emirates has ordered 43 A380s - by far the largest of any airline customer - and expects to lease two more. The double-decker jet is to enter service by 2006.
With the announcement, Emirates offered new hope for a downtrodden industry following the Sept. 11 attacks, wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the SARS virus outbreak and global economic malaise. Bureau Report