=20 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- This article was sent to you by someone who found it on SF Gate. The original article can be found on SFGate.com here: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=3D/news/archive/2003/06/19/i= nternational0650EDT0511.DTL ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Thursday, June 19, 2003 (AP) Airbus wins $5.1 billion order for 32 jets from Qatar Airways (06-19) 03:50 PDT PARIS (AP) -- Qatar Airways said Thursday it has placed a $5.1 billion order with European aircraft manufacturer Airbus for 18 planes and options on another 14. The carrier, which already flies only Airbus jets, will more than double the size of its fleet by 2008 through the purchases, the company said in a statement issued at the Paris Air Show. Airbus, in a separate statement, said the airline agreed to orders for t= wo A321 jets, 14 A330s and two A340-600s, currently the largest jet in the Airbus family. Qatar has options for another six A330s and another eight A340-600s, the plane maker said. Edouard Ullmo, a vice president of commercial development at Airbus, said the deal was valued at $5.1 billion. The A330 aircraft will be delivered between 2004 and 2008, while the A340-600s will be delivered between 2006 and 2010 and the two A321s after December this year. In addition, Qatar said it will lease two A330-200s from General Electric Capital Aviation Services for five years starting in July 2004. Qatar Airways is also to take delivery by 2009 of two Airbus A380 superjumbos, the competitor of archrival Boeing's 747, Airbus said. Qatar also has an option on two more A380s. On Wednesday, Korean Air said it has signed preliminary agreements with Airbus and Boeing that could eventually lead to the purchase of 17 large jets. The Korean airline inked memorandums of understanding for five A380 superjumbos from Airbus, with an option for another three, as well as seven twin-aisle 777s and two 747-400ERFs from Boeing. If all the contracts are finalized, the deals would be worth $2.3 billio= n, said Lee Hyoung-woo, a Korean Air company spokesman. =20 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright 2003 AP