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Why does everyone seem to hate LOT Polish Airlines? [382]
The Paris Air Show has unexpectedly made starkly clear that the rivalry between Airbus and Boeing is playing out very differently in the two major airplane categories.
In sales of narrowbody jets, Airbus is clearly on the ascendant.
Airbus announced more than 700 A320 sales in Paris, compared to less than 90 Boeing 737 sales.
Airbus CEO Tom Enders said even he has been surprised by the wild success of the upgraded A320neo, which now has more than 1,000 orders and commitments following blockbuster sales in Paris.
"When I went to the board for approval, I promised strong sales," said Enders. "I didn't think it would be such a best seller only six months after the launch."
But in the market for bigger widebody jets, Boeing has the upper hand. Airbus has to fix problems with its now-delayed A350 family.
As a result, Boeing can look forward to a bonanza of 777 and 787 sales for several years with some sales campaigns almost uncontested because Airbus won't have a competitive jet to offer.
Pat Shanahan, head of airplane programs at Boeing, said that with the 787 Dreamliner soon to enter service and the 777 without any viable competitor until 2017 at the earliest, Boeing's position in the large jet market is "better than good."
