Airbus Says 6 Airlines Commit to A-3XX Jet

Airbus Industrie said it has won commitments from four more airlines to buy the proposed A-3XX super-jumbo, bringing to six the number of carriers ready to buy what would be the world’s largest passenger plane. “Progress has been fast,” said Airbus Chief Executive Noel Forgeard at a press briefing. “In less than four months, we have obtained letters of intent from Emirates [Airlines], Singapore Airlines and from four customers that will remain undisclosed for a while. On top of that, at least two more are in the pipe.” The European plane maker needs orders for 50 to 60 aircraft from four or five big airlines to start construction of the plane, analysts say. Emirates Airlines and Singapore Airlines have said they would buy as many as 26 of the 550-seat planes. Forgeard declined to name the additional airlines. John Leahy, Airbus’ top sales executive, has said Cathay Pacific Airways in Asia, Virgin Atlantic Airways and Air France in Europe and freight carriers FedEx Corp. and Atlas Air in the U.S. are among the other companies most interested in the plane.