Airbus Industrie is holding talks with United.

The European consortium said a deal with the nation’s second-largest airline would be a major boost for Europe’s entry in the fight for the U.S. passenger aircraft market. United has not been a customer of Airbus, despite the latter’s inroads into the U.S. market with major orders from Northwest, American and Pan American World airways. United is also known to be talking to Boeing and McDonnell Douglas. “They (United Airlines) need 190 aircraft, which will not all be Airbuses,” an Airbus spokeswoman said.