Airbus outpaces Boeing and hails record year

European planemaker Airbus outpaced rival Boeing for deals at the Dubai airshow and hailed a record year for orders as Gulf Arab states sought a bigger share of global aviation.

Airbus has so far clocked up agreements worth about $46.5 billion for 251 aircraft, including 50 options, versus about $30.4 billion for U.S. rival Boeing Co. The Airbus deals include engine costs for some of the passenger planes.

Airbus Chief Operating Officer John Leahy said the planemaker was at 1,122 orders for the year so far, its highest ever, and predicted its newest model, the A350 XWB, would have 300 orders by year end. Airbus took 1,111 orders in 2005.

"In terms of Airbus order units and value this year, 30 percent is coming out of the Middle East," Airbus Chief Executive Officer Tom Enders told reporters in Dubai.

State-owned Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE), which plans to start an aircraft leasing business, said on Monday it agreed tentative orders with Boeing and Airbus for as many as 200 planes worth about $27.2 billion.

The letters of intent include 70 of Airbus`s A320s and 70 of Boeing`s 737s, DAE said.

"Today, we are laying down a significant marker," said Bob Genise, chief executive officer of DAE`s aircraft leasing unit, DAE Capital. "We have fairly ambitious goals."

Boeing entered the air show on Sunday ahead of Airbus in orders and on Sunday announced Qatar Airways would buy 30 787s with options for 30 more.

Dubai`s government-owned Emirates on Sunday ordered 93 aircraft from Airbus and Boeing, though eight of these had been announced previously, worth $23.4 billion.

Enders said that the planemaker would deliver 450 aircraft this year and was on track to start deliveries next year of the A380 to Emirates, the biggest customer of the world`s biggest passenger aircraft.

Airbus was increasing its rate of production, Enders said, without being more specific.

Dubai is building one of the world`s biggest airports, capable of handling as many as 120 million passengers per year as it seeks to capitalize on its location between Europe, Asia and Africa.

sections: Economics, Hi-Tech