ID :
34862
Wed, 12/10/2008 - 14:06
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/34862
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Etihad deal boosts Airbus order book
Paris – Dec 10, 2008 (WAM) - European planemaker Airbus reported orders for 84 aircraft in November, including completion of the largest civil aircraft deal of the year, a 51-plane order from Abu Dhabi's Etihad Airways worth over US$10 billion. The tally brought gross 2008 aircraft orders at the EADS subsidiary to 878, Airbus said in a statement to “Reuters.”
Three orders were cancelled in November, bringing total cancellations for the year to 122 and leaving the net total of aircraft sold at 756, down sharply from last year.
Airbus has said it is targeting 850 plane sales in 2008.
Boeing, which also won a 45-plane order from Etihad this year, has reported 646 gross orders and 640 net orders for 2008 as of December 2.
The Etihad order includes six A380 superjumbos and 25 A350s, designed to compete with Boeing's 787 Dreamliner. The airline also ordered 20 single-aisle A320 aircraft.
It is seen as part of an industrial deal with Abu Dhabi sovereign fund Mubadala Development that will see Airbus produce some lightweight composite parts in the emirate.
The order was first announced at the Farnborough air show in July, but there were months of uncertainty over whether it would be finalised. The order was finally confirmed last week and made it into the official Airbus backlog.
Airbus also said it had delivered 46 planes in November, bringing deliveries so far this year to 437. Parent EADS has targeted 470 Airbus deliveries in 2008.
The Etihad order follows a particularly fierce battle between Airbus and Boeing that is significant at two levels - strategic and commercial, industry sources said.
By putting down industrial roots in Abu Dhabi, EADS is forging ahead with a strategy of increasing its global industrial footprint.
The industrial deal is also seen as an insurance policy as both Airbus and Boeing face a slew of potential order cancellations or deferrals as the airline industry weathers a downturn in travel due to the global financial crisis.
Airbus is most heavily exposed to the Gulf region, which represents a significant slice of its order book and the lion's share of orders for the A380, whose biggest customer is Emirates.
On the commercial level, the Etihad deal is the latest move in an intricate chess game being played across global aircraft markets which involves the future of Boeing's latest 747.
Boeing decided not to build a direct rival to the 525-seat A380, which it regards as an oversized behemoth for modern aviation, but it launched an upgraded and expanded version of its 747 jumbo, the 747-8, to protect the upper end of its range.
Three orders were cancelled in November, bringing total cancellations for the year to 122 and leaving the net total of aircraft sold at 756, down sharply from last year.
Airbus has said it is targeting 850 plane sales in 2008.
Boeing, which also won a 45-plane order from Etihad this year, has reported 646 gross orders and 640 net orders for 2008 as of December 2.
The Etihad order includes six A380 superjumbos and 25 A350s, designed to compete with Boeing's 787 Dreamliner. The airline also ordered 20 single-aisle A320 aircraft.
It is seen as part of an industrial deal with Abu Dhabi sovereign fund Mubadala Development that will see Airbus produce some lightweight composite parts in the emirate.
The order was first announced at the Farnborough air show in July, but there were months of uncertainty over whether it would be finalised. The order was finally confirmed last week and made it into the official Airbus backlog.
Airbus also said it had delivered 46 planes in November, bringing deliveries so far this year to 437. Parent EADS has targeted 470 Airbus deliveries in 2008.
The Etihad order follows a particularly fierce battle between Airbus and Boeing that is significant at two levels - strategic and commercial, industry sources said.
By putting down industrial roots in Abu Dhabi, EADS is forging ahead with a strategy of increasing its global industrial footprint.
The industrial deal is also seen as an insurance policy as both Airbus and Boeing face a slew of potential order cancellations or deferrals as the airline industry weathers a downturn in travel due to the global financial crisis.
Airbus is most heavily exposed to the Gulf region, which represents a significant slice of its order book and the lion's share of orders for the A380, whose biggest customer is Emirates.
On the commercial level, the Etihad deal is the latest move in an intricate chess game being played across global aircraft markets which involves the future of Boeing's latest 747.
Boeing decided not to build a direct rival to the 525-seat A380, which it regards as an oversized behemoth for modern aviation, but it launched an upgraded and expanded version of its 747 jumbo, the 747-8, to protect the upper end of its range.
