Airbus launches new planes in wide body family

FARNBOROUGH, England — Airbus has launched updated versions of its A330 wide body aircraft in a bit to improve fuel efficiency, increase range and help the aircraft compete against Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner.

Airbus told reporters Monday the new designs for the A330-800neo and the A330-900neo will reduce fuel consumption by 14 percent per seat and boost the model’s range by 400 nautical miles.

Boeing CEO Jim McNerney told CNBC that Boeing is “highly confident in our new technology line that is already in place as it competes against a refurbished A330.”

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Air Lease Corp. of Los Angeles on Monday agreed to buy 25 of the new A330-900s as well as 60 A320neos. No financial details were immediately disclosed at the world’s premier aviation event in the south of England.

The launch comes as Airbus struggles to find buyers for the larger A350 model.

Emirates recently cancelled an order for the A350, and opted for Boeing aircraft of a similar size.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS