The Boeing Company yesterday announced the launch of its the 450-seater Boeing 747-8 programme and said the new jumbo has already became an instant bet-seller by bagging $5 billion in orders.

Announcing the launch of the programme that includes the 747-8 Intercontinental passenger airplane and the 747-8 Freighter airplane, a Boeing spokesman said compared to the A380, the 747-8F will offer 20 per cent lower trip costs. In addition, the 747-8F will maintain the operational flexibility of today's 747 freighters, with good profit potential at less-than-full loads," a Boeing spokesman told Khaleej Times.

Analysts see the 747-8 programme as the US plane-maker's swift counterattack against its European rival for the A350 programme that is being thrown as a challenge to Boeing's much-vaunted 787 Dreamliner. "The Boeing move further dims Airbus hopes of staging a comeback next year with its 555-seater A 380 superjumbo which had so far bagged only 159 orders," he said.

The double-deck aircraft, priced at around $285 million, is expected to enter Emirates' fleet in 2007. Emirates, the largest A 380 customer, plans to operate 45 A380 aircraft, including two freighters. The A380 has also been ordered by the region's two other fast growing carriers —Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways.

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