JAL Jumps Ship, orders up A350 instead of 787

Airbus announced its first jet order from Japan Airlines on Monday, breaking open the last major aviation market dominated by Boeing after delays and a grounding of its 787 Dreamliner cast a shadow over its reliability as a supplier.
The landmark deal for 31 wide-body A350 jets with a combined USD$9.5 billion list price follows an intense battle between Airbus and Boeing as Japan's two biggest carriers seek dozens of new long-haul jets over the next decade.
The agreement includes options for another 25 A350s, bringing the potential size to 56 aircraft.
"This is a huge win for Airbus and a big loss for Boeing," said aerospace analyst Scott Hamilton, managing director of Leeham.
"Airbus has been trying to break the wide-body monopoly of Boeing for decades and likewise Boeing has been wanting to keep Airbus out of JAL and ANA."
Airbus stated that it will be more fuel-efficient and have operating costs up to 8% lower than the competing Boeing 787 Dreamliner.