=20 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- This article was sent to you by someone who found it on SFGate. The original article can be found on SFGate.com here: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=3D/news/archive/2004/12/10/f= inancial0900EST0496.DTL --------------------------------------------------------------------- Friday, December 10, 2004 (AP) Airbus owners approve launch of new A350 to rival Boeing's planned 'Dreamli= ner' LAURENCE FROST, AP Business Writer (12-10) 06:00 PST PARIS (AP) -- The owners of Airbus SAS approved the launch of a new A350 passenger jet Friday to rival Boeing Co.'s 7E7. "EADS and British Aerospace Systems have given the go-ahead for Airbus to offer a new member of its wide-body family to airlines around the world," said Patrice Kreis, a spokesman for the European Aeronautic Defence & Space Co., Airbus' parent company. The launch of the A350 could prove a fresh setback for Boeing's passenger jets' arm, which fell behind Airbus in global deliveries for the first time last year. Chicago-based Boeing has received only 52 of the 200 orders for its 7E7 "Dreamliner" that it targeted this year, and some analysts say the planned A350 may be to blame. In a statement, Airbus said the new plane would be offered in two versions, both entering service in the first half of 2010. The A350-800 will seat 245 passengers in a three-class cabin achieving a range of 8,600 nautical miles, while the A350-900 will seat 285 passengers for a range of 7,500 nautical miles. EADS owns 80 percent of Airbus and BAE Systems PLC holds the rest. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright 2004 AP