Boeing Says Airbus A350 Aid Against WTO Rules

Boeing said it was disappointed with a move by European rival Airbus to obtain state financing for its new A350 XWB aircraft and called it illegal under World Trade Organization (WTO) rules.

"We are disappointed by reports that the Airbus member states intend to provide - and Airbus to accept - billions of dollars of launch aid for the A350," Boeing said in a statement on Monday.

"Such financing would violate the member states' international obligations to abide by the rules of the WTO. It is long overdue for Airbus to fund its airplane development on commercial terms including using its own resources, which it has indicated are ample."

Ministers of three European nations home to Airbus' jet production earlier said at the Paris Air Show that they expected to make a decision on financing for the project by the end of June.