European aircraft-maker Airbus Industrie has won an US$8.6 billion order for 25 new Airbus A3XX superjumbo jetliners from Singapore Airlines (SIA) in a significant victory over rival Boeing.
The carrier has committed to acquiring 10 A3XX aircraft and will take options for 15 more.
'A larger aircraft also means a lower operating cost per seat, especially with the higher efficiency that comes with new technology,' SIA chief executive Cheong Choong Kong said. Airbus and Boeing have been courting SIA for months to win endorsement of their rival visions of a new superjumbo capable of carrying at least 500 passengers halfway around the world without refuelling.
The new Airbus jets have a range of 7,500 nautical miles and SIA plans to deploy them on high-density routes to London, Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Sydney.
Boeing's 747 has been the biggest jet for the past 30 years and is the only aircraft capable of carrying more than 400 passengers.
Airbus hopes to end the jumbo's reign by building the A3XX, which it envisions as an airborne cruise ship, complete with a casino and gym.
So far, it has orders for 22 A3XXs from Air France, Emirates Airlines and the International Lease Finance Corp.
