Airshow: Airbus undecided on A330neo launch

AIX-EN-PROVENCE: Airbus Group has not decided whether it will launch its proposed A330neo jet at this month’s Farnborough Airshow but is confident about the outlook for plane orders at the gala event, its strategy chief Marwan Lahoud said on Saturday.  Airbus has drawn up plans to revamp its biggest-selling wide-body passenger jet to preserve a second front in its competition with the delayed Boeing 787 Dreamliner, in addition to the new A350. Lahoud said the jury is still out on whether the A330neo, a more efficient version of the 20-year-old A330 jet, would be launched at the July 14-20 airshow. People familiar with the matter say technical work on the project, based on a Rolls-Royce engine and new wingtips, is complete and that barring surprises, the $2 billion revamp will go ahead soon, subject to board approval.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 6^th, 2014.

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