Airbus nears accord with Ethiopian for widebody aircraft

Airbus is closing in on a sale of widebody aircraft to Ethiopian Airlines Group and is set to announce the deal on the third day of the Dubai Air Show, people familiar with the talks said. The two sides are negotiating the purchase of about 10 A350-900 widebody jets, with an announcement possible on Wednesday morning, said one of the people, who asked not to be identified discussing private deliberations. Airbus and the airline declined to comment. The accord has not be signed and elements of the deal or timing could still change, the people cautioned. An accord with the African carrier would give Airbus a late boost at the show, which was dominated by arch-rival Boeing Co., particularly on the first day when the US company pulled in massive orders from regional carriers like Emirates. Airbus, by contrast, so far only has one deal with EgyptAir for 10 A350s and a follow-up accord with Air Baltic Corp AS for smaller A220 planes. Emirates President Tim Clark said on Tuesday he’s not ordering any Airbus A350 aircraft until the plane’s engine performance has been improved. Clark said he’s in the market for as many as 50 A350-1000s, which would add to the existing order book of 50 smaller A350-900 planes that he ordered some years ago. The models come with engines built by Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc. For Ethiopian, a deal with Airbus would mark the second purchase in as many days. The airline placed an order with Boeing on Tuesday for 20 737-8 short-haul aircraft as well as 11 787-9 Dreamliners, with options to expand the order to as many as 67 aircraft. Ethiopian Chief Executive Officer Mesfin Tasew Bekele said at a press conference in Dubai on Tuesday that his airline would continue its fleet renewal, with additional orders likely in the near future.<br/>