Inside these posts: Commercial aviation

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Airbus lands record $16 billion IndiGo order

Airbus on Tuesday announced what it called the biggest jet order in commercial aviation history with a $15.6 billion deal to sell 180 planes to Indian budget carrier IndiGo including the first orders for a revamped model.

The deal comes as the European planemaker tallies its plane orders for 2010, but will not enter the order book in time to decide whether Airbus will come from behind to win a fiercely contested annual battle for most sales against Chicago-based Boeing. Get the full story »

Execs return to private planes as economy improves

Private planes at Teterboro Airport in Teterboro, N.J. (AP Photo/Jeff Zelevansky)

U.S. executives, including those at government-owned General Motors, are getting back on corporate planes as the economy slowly recovers.

While airlines still account for the majority of corporate travel, many businesses are gradually returning to private planes. They are eager to avoid airport hassles, flight delays and other potential logistical snags associated with commercial flying. For some companies, corporate jets are also a better value.

“We appear to be off the bottom,” said Dan Hubbard of the National Business Aviation Association trade group that represents companies that own and charter planes. “We seem to be seeing things stabilize at this point.” Get the full story »

Airlines want 20% export financing cap

Leading airlines have called on Europe and the United States to cap export credits on the sale of passenger jets at 20 percent in the latest ripple of a growing spat over multi-billion-dollar subsidies.

U.S. and European airlines say their Gulf rivals get subsidies and export credits that allow them to grow at a breakneck pace and take market share. Get the full story »

Commercial aviation grounds AAR 4Q earnings

AAR Corp.’s fiscal fourth-quarter earnings dropped 21 percent as the aircraft leasing and maintenance company waits for its commercial aviation business to pick up.

The company has warned that recovery in its commercial-airlines business has been less robust than expected. The recession skewered that market, with a drop in travel and tight credit forcing AAR’s commercial-airline customers to cut back. However, the company’s sales to defense contractors have held up. Get the full story »