Airbus announces year of record orders

The European aircraft manufacturer Airbus Industrie has announced record orders in 1997, making it the most successful year ever.

In a statement, the company said it had won firm orders for 460 planes, with a total value of nearly thirtybillion dollars.

The figures put Airbus in close contention with its long-standing rival, the American manufacturer Boeing.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service