Airbus launches its superjet

Associated Press

TOULOUSE, France — Billed by its creators as more of a cruise ship than an airplane, the Airbus Industrie superjumbo jet was officially launched Tuesday — a 555-passenger mammoth that will surpass Everett’s Boeing 747 as the world’s largest passenger plane.

The launch of the A380 — a double-decker aircraft that will have staircases, wider aisles and can be equipped with gyms, casinos and lounges — is the latest episode in the battle between Airbus and Seattle-based Boeing for dominance of the skies. The superjumbo was previously called the A3XX.

"The competition between Boeing and Airbus — between the United States and integrated Europe — will be the top challenge," Jean-Luc Lagardere, co-chairman of European Aeronautic, Defense and Space Co., or EADS, Airbus’ main shareholder, said at a ceremony in Toulouse in south-central France. "I’m sure we’ll have the top position for years and years to come."

Airbus has been gradually closing the gap with Boeing, and last year reported significantly more aircraft orders for the first time.

So far, Airbus has received 50 firm orders and 42 options for the superjumbo, which will have larger cabins and more floor space and can be equipped with relaxation and recreation facilities.

"We cannot be more proud of the product we developed," said Manfred Bischoff, chairman of the Airbus supervisory board. "We intend to once more set a standard for quality and efficiency."

The board gave the green light Tuesday for the $10.7 billion project at its Toulouse headquarters. The superjumbo will be a direct challenge to Boeing’s dominance of the long-haul, high-capacity market with its fleet of 747s, and it intensifies the rivalry between the two manufacturers, who are banking on conflicting forecasts for air travel in the 21st century.

Airbus officials had said they would need around 50 firm orders to make the project economically viable. The consortium met that target Friday when Virgin Atlantic Airways announced an order for six jets and options on six others in a deal worth more than $3.8 billion.

The biggest order — 12 planes — came from Australia’s Qantas Airlines Ltd., a Boeing client for more than 40 years. Other firm orders have come from Singapore Airlines, Air France, Emirates Airlines and the International Lease Finance Corp. Germany’s Lufthansa AG and British Airways are in talks about buying the plane.

Airbus predicts demand for larger planes will grow, with the number of airliners in service with 400 seats or more rising to 1,235 over the 20 years.

Boeing foresees more interest in smaller planes with the range to bypass major hubs on their way to secondary cities.

"Airbus is taking one strategic approach and Boeing is taking another, and time will tell" who is right, said Boeing Commercial Airplane Group spokesman John Dern in Seattle.