Once a jolly salesman put billboards by the billabong

Published 9:00 pm Tuesday, October 25, 2005

Airbus is taking its campaign to sell Qantas A350s directly to the passenger, with billboards touting its new jet on the streets alongside Sydney’s airport, the Sydney Morning Herald reports. http://www.smh.com.au/news/business/wake-up-geoff—airbus-is-talking/2005/10/26/1130302838650.html

Key Quote, from Airbus regional VP Rod Mahoney: “‘These big decisions only come around every 20 years or so. It’s worth investing a little bit more in advertising.’”

Qantas, you may recall, is in the market for as many as 100 long-range widebody jets and is considering mixes of 777/787s vs. A340/A350s worth about 20 billion Australian dollars — say $15 billion or so U.S.