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 Airbus Expects Aircraft Market To More Than Halve In 2006
SINGAPORE -(Dow Jones)- Airbus (ABI.YY), the world's biggest commercial
aircraft maker in terms of orders, expects orders for itself and rival Boeing
Co. (BA) to fall by more than half in 2006 after a bumper 2005.

The two aircraft makers, which sold a combined 2,057 commercial planes in
2005, will probably receive orders for around 800 planes in 2006, Chief
Operating Officer John Leahy said Wednesday at an airshow in Singapore.

Despite the expected decline, Leahy said Airbus expects to add another two
customers for its A380 super jumbo aircraft in 2006, after securing three
customers in 2005.

The company also expects to secure "significant orders" for its long-range
A350 aircraft.

He declined to give more details.

Demand from Asia should remain strong due to the fast development of the
airline industries in India and China, Leahy said.

Airbus orders from the Asia-Pacific accounted for over 45% of its global
orders in 2005, with more than 500 firm orders from 13 customers

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