Qatar agrees to take 80 A350XWBs.

Middle Eastern carrier Qatar Airways has signed a memorandum of agreement to buy 80 Airbus A350XWB twin-jets, including the largest version, the A350-1000.

The agreement, signed in Paris today, covers 20 A350-1000s, 40 A350-900s and 20 A350-800s with deliveries from 2013.

It supersedes a 2005 deal – made before Airbus redesigned the A350 – under which Qatar Airways was to take 60 of the type, a mix of A350-800s and -900s.

The carrier had intended to equip these with General Electric GEnx engines; as yet there is no GE engine for the revamped A350XWB, and no engine selection has been indicated for the revised deal.

Qatar Airways chief Akbar Al-Baker says the airline will benefit from the A350’s cockpit commonality with other aircraft as well as its fuel efficiency.

Good news compared to what? 80 planes ordered that don’t exist except on computer? AB has got to change 100% within a year or two. IOW not be controlled by government/politics (isn’t that the definition of a fascist government)? anyway.....

Heck, even the 747-8 intercontinental has orders (less than 10 I think), and it’s still in virtual design phase but it’s based on the 747 except for the wing, interior, and engines...all of which are 787 technology (verrry nice)!!

Go see something REALLY cool at newairplane.com (don’t bother if you dont have broadband).

BTW, I see that Boeing stock is at an all time high, pushing $99/share. It’s gonna split soon me thinks. Snap some up if you can (yes I’m a Boeing employee).

Airbus is bummin big time. Poor guy’s. I feel sorry (barely) for em even though they were cocky suckers making fun of our 787 ‘plastic’ airplane. Funny that they’re now engineering the same thing with the XWB.

CAN SOME OF YOU FOLKS WITTIER THAN ME COME UP WITH SOME FUNNY TAGS FOR ‘XWB’?

Chow.

Finally, some good news for Airbus. However, I wonder at the discount that Qatar must have gotten to move this deal. Comments?

Didn't Qatar also get a sweetheart offer to buy into EADS?

Kind of like GM offering sweetheart deals on their cars if Hertz buys its stock and the cars.

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