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    Transportation

    Boeing just congratulated Airbus on its new long range plane

    • A successful test of Airbus new long-haul plane has taken place in Germany.
    • Boeing took to Twitter to say well done to its European rival.
    • The A321 LR is aimed at opening up new long-haul routes between smaller cities.
    The first A321 LR takes off on its flight test in Hamburg, Germany
    Airbus
    The first A321 LR takes off on its flight test in Hamburg, Germany

    They may be rivals but the world's two principal aviation giants can play nice sometimes.

    Shortly after France-based Airbus announced the successful test of its new A321 LR single aisle plane, Chicago-headquartered Boeing took to Twitter to offer its warm congratulations.

    Boeing added that "Competition makes us all better!"

    Airbus responded, using its own Twitter account, with a big thank you and agreement that competition was for the best.

    The friendliness seems to have drawn a line under recent upset over Airbus' decision to take control of the Bombardier C Series plane. Boeing has unsuccessfully petitioned for that program to have import tariffs applied, arguing that it was being sold to customers cheaply after excessive state subsidy.

    Airbus' A321 LR plane is a long-range version of its hugely successful A320 program.

    The company claimed in a press release Wednesday that more efficient engines and a third tank option will open up new routes for single-aisle aircraft. It added that cost savings as much as 30 percent could be made on routes typically dominated by legacy carriers using bigger planes.

    "This aircraft can now fly over the Atlantic comfortably from New York to Paris or it can also serve any other routes such as Dubai to Beijing, or Singapore to Sydney," said Klaus Roewe, Airbus' head of the A320 program.

    Airbus said the A321 LR is scheduled to go into service later this year.

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