Airbus loses ground in bid to sell jets to United: sources

Airbus’s hopes of winning an immediate respite from slow sales of its A330neo jetliner with an order from United are dwindling, leaving a gap in future production weeks before it is due to enter service, industry sources said on Friday. Airbus has been competing with Boeing to replace all or part of a fleet of some 50 Boeing 767s at United, people familiar with the discussions say. Others said Airbus had made an unsolicited offer to try to head off plans by United to use rights to buy more Boeing 787s. “Airbus doesn’t have United,” one person familiar with the matter said, though others did not exclude a chance to compete for a second tranche of business later. Sources say Boeing has an advantage in any competition because United already flies its 787 and has options for more.<br/>