Airbus trumps Boeing to £13bn Delta airlines order.

News and Info from Deeside, Flintshire, North Wales

This article is old - Published: Friday, Nov 21st, 2014

US based Delta Air Lines, the worlds second largest airline has placed an order for 50 new Airbus widebody aircraft, 25 A350-900 and 25 A330-900neo aircraft

Powered by Rolls-Royce Trent engines the total cost of the 50 new jets, who’s wings will be made on Deeside, is estimated to be around £13bn – based on current list price.

The order was one of the most hotly contested commercial aircraft competitions in recent years say industry experts, with Boeing going ‘toe to toe’ for the order with Airbus.

“When the most successful U.S. airline today – a company that has flown passengers around the world for more than 80 years, has 80-thousand employees and 165 million customers in a year – says ‘yes we want 50 more of your widebody planes’, you can’t debate the fact that it is a massive endorsement of your product line,” said John Leahy, Airbus’ Chief Operating Officer – Customers. “Airbus is unique in offering an optimized long-range choice in aircraft that will allow Delta to continue to modernize its fleet and customize its use with the most efficient and comfortable aircraft available.”

Delta Air Lines currently flies both Airbus single-aisle and widebody aircraft, with a fleet of 158 Airbus jets, a further 55 are on order.

The A350 is the latest fuel efficient addition to the market-leading Airbus widebody product line and is direct competitor to Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner.

At the end of October 2014, the A350 XWB had won 750 orders from 39 customers worldwide.

The A330 Family has now attracted more than 1,300 orders, over 1,100 A330 Family aircraft are flying with more than 100 operators worldwide.