Airbus won big again today at the Paris air show, as Qatar Airways placed a $5.1bn (£3bn) order for 18 planes just days after Emirates handed the company $12.5bn worth of business.
Qatar Airways also announced options on another 14 Airbus jets. The carrier, which flies only Airbus jets, will more than double the size of its fleet by 2008 through the purchases, the company said in a statement.
In a separate statement, Airbus said it had agreed to orders for two A321 jets, 14 A330s and two A340-600s, currently the largest jet in the Airbus family. Qatar has options for another six A330s and another eight A340-600s, the plane-maker said.
Edouard Ullmo, a vice-president of commercial development at Airbus, said the deal was worth $5.1bn.
The A330 aircraft will be delivered between 2004 and 2008, while the A340-600s will be delivered between 2006 and 2010 and the two A321s after December this year.
In addition, Qatar Airways said it will lease two A330-200s from General Electric Capital Aviation Services for five years starting in July 2004.
The airline is also to take delivery by 2009 of two Airbus A380 superjumbos, the competitor of archrival Boeing's 747, Airbus said. It also has an option on two more A380s.
GE Aircraft Engines will power 14 A330s and Rolls-Royce will supply engines for two A340-600s.
