AIRCRAFT manufacturer Airbus has landed a major order with Singapore Airlines which is worth an estimated £5 billion.
The airline has announced it is to order five of the super-jumbo Airbus A380 aircraft and 20 more A350 planes in a deal valued at $7.5 bil-lion - about £5 billion.
The order has come just weeks after talks to merge with defence manufacturer BAE Systems broke down and will come as a relief that it is still business as usual at the fir m. Around 4,000 people work at Airbus's Filton plant, where the wings and fuel systems are designed.
Hints of the deal first emerged on Tuesday when French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault, who has just returned from a business trip to Singapore and the Philippines, told Airbus workers their company had signed an order for 15 aircraft.
John Leahy, inset, chief operating officer at Airbus, is responsible for negotiating major deals.
He said: "This announcement from one of the world's most prestigious carriers underscores the unrivalled comfort and efficiency offered by Airbus widebody aircraft." "As Singapore Airlines has shown, the A380 has proven itself to be a game changer at the top end of the market. We are now set to bring new levels of efficiency to the mid-size segment with the arrival of the A350 XWB."
Despite the collapse of the merger deal with BAE Systems Airbus is still the world's leading aircraft manufacturer. The latest announcement will help to cement its domination of the commercial aviation market.
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