Airbus lands 61 aircraft order, even as Boeing's 787 takes a hit

Madrid: European aerospace major, Airbus, bagged a huge order on the day that archrival Boeing stumbled badly announcing a six-month delay over the delivery of the first 787 Dreamliner. The order from Spanish travel group Marsans for 61 aircraft, including four A380 super jumbos, was particularly sweet for Airbus as it came just days before delivery of the first A380 to launch customer Singapore International Airlines.

Marsans owns Aerolineas Argentinas and the Madrid-based Air Comet. The Spanish company said it also confirmed orders for a further 12 aircraft, in a deal worth a total of $7 billion or almost 5 billion euros.

According to a Marsans spokesman, the order comprised 4 A380s, 10 A350s, 42 A320s, 5 A330s, plus 12 A330s previously ordered in December 2006. Deliveries will be made in the period between 2008 and 2014.

Airbus confirmed the order in a statement without putting a value on the deal.

According to Marsans, "With the A380, we will become the first A380 customer and operator in Spain and South America." Marsans is currently seeking to buy Spain's second largest airline, Spanair, from Scandinavian travel group SAS.

It hopes to link Spanair with its two existing carriers to form a global operator.

Spanair has flights to destinations in Spain, North Africa and Central Europe, while Aerolineas Argentinas and Air Comet operate long distance routes.

Marsans, founded in 1910, has gone from operating buses to tour groups and hotels, and now hopes to be a major world player in the air transportation.