AVIATION company, McDonnell Douglas, the world's third biggest civil aircraft maker, plans to build a 400 seat long haul jet to compete with Boeing's 747, which has dominated the market.
McDonnell Douglas's plans come shortly after the announcement by Airbus Industrie, the European consortium and the world's second biggest civil aircraft manufacturer, that it intended to build new jets to take on Boeing.
All three manufacturers believed there would be increasing demand for aircraft capable of carrying large numbers of passengers over long distances, particularly in the Asia Pacific region.
Boeing's 747 jet is the only aircraft capable of carrying 400 passengers. Airbus's largest aircraft, the A330, carries 335.
Boeing's dominance of the large jet market has allowed it to charge full price for its 747-400, while discounting heavily on aircraft which competed with McDonnell Douglas and Airbus products.
