AIRBUS BOEING
* Competition between Airbus and Boeing is a result of the two companies' domination of the large jet airliner market since the 1990s.
* Boeing and Airbus are in a near-duopoly in the global market for large commercial jets.
* In the decade between 1999 and 2008, Airbus received 6,378 orders, while Boeing received 6,140 and they fight for the best commercial figures every year.
* Each company regularly accuses the other of receiving unfair state subsidies from their respective governments.
Boeing
* Headquarters: Toulouse
* Year founded: 1970
* Founder: Aerospatiale for France and Deutsche Aerospace for Germany
* CEO: Thomas Enders
* Number of employees: 56 000
* Turnover: 26 billion € (2007)
* Net profit: -572 million € (2007)
Airbus
* Headquarters: Chicago
* Year founded: 1916
* Founder: William Boeing
* President and CEO: James McNermey
* Number of employees:160 000
* Turnover: 66 billion $ (2007)
* Net profit: 4 billion $ (2007)
Airbus appeared recently in the sector of the military planes, while it is one of the specialities of Boeing from the very beginning, the American aircraft manufacturer having supplied cargo boats during both world conflicts.
Boeing is a major actor of this market. But it has to count with this new competitor that is Airbus, notably in the market of the supply planes.
* Airbus and Boeing compete not only on the ground of innovation records but also on marketing exploits.
* 10/11/2008: Boeing beat the world record of the longest nonstop flight, realized with its 777-200 LR Worldliner, connecting Hong-Kong in London in 23 hours and more than 20 000 km.
→To riposte, the next day, the A380 made its first landing in Asia, as bigger civil airliner of the world. Airbus moreover obtained the market of Singapore Airlines.
* A 380
* Typical cruising speed: Mach 0.85 (850 km/h)
* Range: 14,800 km
*...