BBC News - Airbus and IndiGo confirm record deal for 180 aircraft
Airbus and IndiGo confirm record deal for 180 aircraft
23 June 2011 Last updated at 08:21 GMT The IndiGo order is the biggest ever in terms of aircraft numbers - but may soon be topped
Airbus piled up the orders at the Paris Air Show as it confirmed the largest single order of aircraft in aviation history.
Indian budget airline IndiGo is buying 180 planes from Airbus worth about $15.6bn (£9.7bn) at list prices.
The deal is for 150 of Airbus' new fuel efficient A320neo jets and 30 A320s.
23 June 2011 Last updated at 08:21 GMT The IndiGo order is the biggest ever in terms of aircraft numbers - but may soon be topped
Airbus piled up the orders at the Paris Air Show as it confirmed the largest single order of aircraft in aviation history.
Indian budget airline IndiGo is buying 180 planes from Airbus worth about $15.6bn (£9.7bn) at list prices.
The deal is for 150 of Airbus' new fuel efficient A320neo jets and 30 A320s.
Airbus, owned by EADS, has left rival Boeing far behind in terms of orders at the event, as high fuel costs increase the demand for fuel efficient aircraft.
The company estimates it has sold more than 700 A320neo jets so far.
The company estimates it has sold more than 700 A320neo jets so far.
Airbus' success leaves Boeing with a very tough dilemma, our correspondent at the air show says.
The US planemaker's A320 rival is the 737, but the plane is very low, so fitting modern, fuel-efficient engines under its wings would be a tight squeeze.
Making it happen would require a new undercarriage, which is costly and difficult, as well as time-consuming, he says.
The US planemaker's A320 rival is the 737, but the plane is very low, so fitting modern, fuel-efficient engines under its wings would be a tight squeeze.
Making it happen would require a new undercarriage, which is costly and difficult, as well as time-consuming, he says.
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