Airbus wins breakthrough with its first JAL order

[TOULOUSE] Airbus SAS won its first order from Japan Airlines Co, securing a commitment for as many as 56 wide-body planes in a market that Boeing Co has almost monopolised for decades.

The order consists of 18 A350-900 aircraft and 13 larger A350-1000s, Airbus chief executive officer Fabrice Bregier said on a conference call. The firm commitment has a value of US$9.5 billion at list price, while customers typically secure rebates. Japan Air also has an option to purchase 25 more.

Airbus's biggest A350 order so far this year gives the European manufacturer a break into Japan, where the fleets of ANA Holdings Inc and Japan Air, the country's two biggest carriers, are dominated by Boeing. Japan Air choosing Airbus comes after the Boeing 787 Dreamliner was delayed by years and grounded globally early in 2013 after battery malfunctions.