Airbus Trumps Boeing for $13 Billion Delta Order

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By Paul Ausick Updated Published
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A350_XWB

Courtesy EADS/Airbus
Boeing Co. (NYSE: BA) is reported to have lost a major order from Delta Air Lines Co. (NYSE: DAL) for 50 dual-aisle wide-body jets to arch-rival Airbus. The order is worth about $13 billion a list prices and includes 25 Airbus A350-900s and 25 A330-900neos, according to reports from Reuters and aircraft industry consulting firm Leeham.

Boeing had proposed to sell Delta its 787-9 Dreamliner and five of its 777-200LRs as a bridge until production slots for the 787 were available. Had Boeing won the order, it would have helped the company fill the production gap the company faces as it transitions from the 777 Classic to its new 777X.

The deciding factor, apparently, was delivery dates. The 787-9 schedule could not accommodate Delta’s delivery requirements, while Airbus was able to shift its schedule to deliver the A350s early. None of the companies involved would comment on the reports.

According to Leeham, Delta is building up an international hub in Seattle and will add the A350 to its flights over the Pacific. The A330 is destined to fly routes over the Atlantic.

Delta currently has 11 A330-200s and 21 A330-300s in its fleet. The airline also flies 10 Boeing 777-200LRs and eight of the 777-200ERs.

Boeing’s shares were down about 0.7% in premarket trading Thursday, at $130.72 in a 52-week range of $116.32 to $144.57.

ALSO READ: Why the 777 May Be More Important to Boeing Than the 787

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About the Author Paul Ausick →

Paul Ausick has been writing for 247Wallst.com for more than a decade. He has written extensively on investing in the energy, defense, and technology sectors. In a previous life, he wrote technical documentation and managed a marketing communications group in Silicon Valley.

He has a bachelor's degree in English from the University of Chicago and now lives in Montana, where he fishes for trout in the summer and stays inside during the winter.

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