Airbus announced first deal with Japan Airlines

Japan Airlines (JAL) has finally finished its search for a new addition to their fleet, striking a record breaking deal with Airbus. For around $9.5bn, JAL has acquired 31 Airbus A350s. The A350 is a competitor to the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Historically, Boeing has dominated the Japanese aviation market, so this is a massive breakthrough for Airbus into a previously untapped market. The Dreamliner has been in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons lately, relating to technical and safety issues, and Airbus chief executive Fabrice Bregier says “it was a no-brainer to select the A350.”  Bregier repositioned the competition by drawing focus on the recent issues that the Dreamliner has been facing, and by focusing on the fuel efficiency of the A350 in comparison to the 787, Bregier repositioned Airbus as being the more cost efficient, safe, and overall better choice. This point has been of particular concern due to the fluctuation of fuel prices in recent years. Although this is a significant breakthrough for Airbus, Boeing 787s remain popular, with 950 Dreamliners on order so far this year.