Airbus chief in talks with Qantas on new aircraft.
A TOP Airbus salesman is in Australia to urge airline Qantas to buy the European aircraft manufacturer's proposed A350 jet.Chief operating officer John Leahy is visiting Sydney for talks with the airline about its plan to spend about pounds 8bn on upto 60 wide-body aircraft. He is also updating the carrier on delays to its ordered A380 superjumbos, the wings for which are being made on Deeside.
The delay has angered Qantas chief executive Geoff Dixon but Mr Leahy said he hoped it would not affect Airbus's ability to sell the A350 to the airline.
He said Airbus was confident it can deliver the full complement of six Qantas A380 superjumbos in 2007 and says it has reduced delays for the final aircraft from six to two months. Mr Leahy conceded the company had been late bringing the A350 to the market and had not spent as much money promoting it as Boeing had on its 787 Dreamliner.
He said Airbus's cash had gone into the design of the jet which will use carbon composite technology in its wings.
Seven airlines have so far ordered 125 of the aircraft, due to come into service in 2010.
Mr Leahy predicted yesterday that would rise to 200 by the end of the year
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| Title Annotation: | Business |
|---|---|
| Publication: | Daily Post (Liverpool, England) |
| Geographic Code: | 8AUST |
| Date: | Aug 13, 2005 |
| Words: | 212 |
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