Boeing passes with flying colors

Boeing passes with flying colors

Racing ahead against Airbus this year, Boeing Corporation, the globe's second biggest plane makers, clinched orders valued at 13.7 billion US dollars from Emirates airlines and from China. This is perhaps the first time in five years that the American plane manufacturer is overtaking Airbus in business quantum, though Airbus still retains its peak position it acquired since 2003 as the world's biggest creator of commercially viable aircraft.

Though its 370 kitty of completed orders against Boeing's 290 help it to remain king of skies, with a 112 aircraft demand coming in from Emirates and China, Boeing has never had it so big before.

On the commencement day of Dubai 2005, the 9th International Aerospace Exhibition, Emirates chairman Sheik Ahmed bin Saeed Maktoum made the announcement that the airlines has purchased 42 long range 777 Boeings costing about 10 billion dollars. Emirates is the Persian Gulf's largest and most promising airlines today. With this deal, it will rank as the largest Boeing 777 airlines globally.

Emirates is simultaneously on the verge of becoming Airbus's biggest buyer of A380s, with its order of 43 of the 555 seater aircraft. This aircraft is likely to be launched in 2006.

Delineating reasons for the big buys, Emirates says the 777 planes are needed to supplement the longer routes, especially to America, the West Coast and South America. "We are investing in more new aircraft to meet the escalating demand for Emirates' services from our customers across the globe. This new order will support the airline's growth plans, and enhance our fleet's range and versatility,” said Sheikh Ahmed. The first delivery is expected in 2007 and the purchase of twenty more such planes is on the anvil.

The other big haul for Boeing has been from China, which has placed orders for 70 of the 737 aircraft, totaling to 4 billion dollars. The order is seen as a spin off from the recent Bush visit to China. According to company sources, Boeing is in conversation with the Chinese clients for an additional order of 80 737 crafts. However, they declined to reveal the identity of the customers.

The deal in China was reported by the official Xinhua News Agency on Sunday.

Boeing estimates it will garner more Chinese business to the tune of 213 billion dollars during the next twenty years as the country develops economically and encourages more travel.

Boeing's turnaround is being credited to its recent focus on expenditure for innovative products and customer interaction, which has sent positive feelers to the global market about the company's serious intentions in quality production and service.

Both Boeing and Airbus have seen a two-fold increase in business this year, which is a fall-out of an upward traveling graph worldwide, couple with a parallel need for fuel efficient aircraft to combat higher oil prices. Till last week, Boeing possessed 659 orders as against 494 for Airbus from France. All in all, it does seem Boeing is gaining substantially from its fresh pitching for its due of the skies.