Southwest Airlines and Airbus have begun a "warm" senior-level exchange, prompting hope at the European plane maker that Boeing's top buyer may no longer be out of its reach, sources close to the matter said.
The world's largest low-cost airline, which celebrated its 40th anniversary in June, has for decades flown only Boeing 737s and has usually shut the door to Europe's Airbus.
But after Airbus dominated June's Paris air show with sales of an upgraded A320 with fuel savings, Southwest chief executive Gary Kelly congratulated Airbus counterpart Tom Enders in what some see as a discreet but carefully calibrated overture.
"We are exchanging friendly correspondence which is a new dimension," a source close to Airbus told reporters