ANA Holdings Inc., whose fleet is dominated by Boeing Co. aircraft, will soon decide on placing an order for 25 jets, pitting the newest wide-body models of Airbus SAS and Boeing against each other.
¡°It¡¯s getting close to the time we need to make a decision,¡± President Shinichiro Ito said in an interview in Tokyo. He declined to elaborate on when the order will be made. ¡°The key will be what plane matches our needs best.¡±
ANA choosing Airbus would mark a triumph for the European manufacturer in a country where Boeing has enjoyed a near monopoly for decades. The ties between the U.S. maker and Japanese carriers were reinforced as ANA and Japan Airlines Co. became the first operators of the carbon-composite 787 Dreamliner, when commercial flights started two years back.
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