Competing With Airbus

We appreciated your comprehensive article on the commercial aircraft industry ((ECONOMY & BUSINESS, May 11)). However, the allegation that Airbus & Industrie discounts its prices 15% to 25% below its competitors' is off the mark. Airbus Industrie makes competitive proposals. Sometimes Airbus wins; other times it loses. In the same vein, your juxtaposition of the Boeing 747, priced at $120 million, with the Airbus Industrie A340, priced at $80 million, is a classic case of comparing apples with oranges. The Boeing 747 is an extremely large, 450-plus-passenger aircraft. The Airbus Industrie A340 is a much smaller aircraft, with a passenger capacity of less than 300.

Alan S. Boyd, Chairman

Airbus Industrie of North America, Inc.

Herndon, Va.