By Tim Hepher
DUBAI (Reuters) -Airbus looks set to beat Boeing to the lion’s share of a major jet order from flydubai at the Dubai Airshow, breaking its rival’s grip on the fast-growing budget carrier for the first time, people familiar with the matter said on Sunday.
The European planemaker was nearing a deal to sell roughly 100 A321neo jets to flydubai, which is also in talks for a smaller order of several dozen 737 MAX from Boeing, they said.
Airbus’ share of the deal could top 100 jets, but the final split depends on negotiations expected to continue down to the wire as the industry gathers for its November 17-21 summit.
Airbus and Boeing declined to comment. Flydubai, which has 175 MAX in its fleet or on order, along with 30 larger Boeing 787s, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
LEADING GLOBAL CUSTOMER
A deal by Airbus to penetrate one of the leading global customers for the 737 MAX, which has so far bought exclusively from Boeing, would further cement Europe’s lead in the market for the largest and most in-demand narrow-body jets.
Flydubai would continue to have a roughly balanced fleet based on earlier Boeing orders, the sources said.
The airline has previously said it was looking to place its largest ever aircraft order, suggesting it would purchase more than the 175 MAX planes it ordered in 2017.
When options were included, the airline could secure access to hundreds of new jets during this week’s negotiations, the sources said.
Reuters reported on Friday that Airbus was expected to win a slice of the budget carrier’s business for the first time.
Boeing Commercial Airplanes CEO Stephanie Pope said on Sunday it would be focusing mainly on discussions with airlines about its path to recovery from a series of corporate crises, rather than maximising new orders at the show.
Analysts have said they expected Airbus to win the Dubai Airshow after a visit to the Gulf by U.S. President Donald Trump in May accelerated significant Boeing order announcements that would typically be unveiled at the Middle East aviation expo.
Airbus said on Sunday it expected the region’s aircraft fleet to more than double to 3,700 planes by 2044.
(Reporting by Tim Hepher; Additional reporting by Ahmed Elimam and Federico Maccioni; Editing by Alex Richardson)
