here's what I found in the Financial Times...
Lufthansa, Europe's second-largest airline, on Thursday placed a long expected order for 15 Airbus superjumbos, providing a boost to the aircraft maker for its ambitious $10.7bn project at a time when the industry is in crisis.
The order, which at list prices would be worth $3.7bn, comes at a delicate time for the German carrier, as it continues to seek agreement from two of its three main employee groups in a bid to cut labour costs by 10 per cent.
But the importance for Airbus of securing Lufthansa as a customer for the aircraft, means the German airline is likely to have secured similar terms as the other eight A380 buyers, which were offered significant discounts.
The Lufthansa order brings the total number of firm commitments Airbus has won for its revolutionary, 555-seater, double-decker aircraft to 97, in line with the manufacturer's end of the year target.
Shares in EADS, which owns 80 per cent of Airbus, rose 82 cents to E14.60 in Paris. BAE Systems, which holds the remaining stake, was up 1-1/2p at 306-1/4p in London.
The timing of the order for the German airline, which shelved plans to place the order in September as it issued a profit warning in the wake of the terrorist attacks, could have been better as talks with the pilots and ground crew continue.
The carrier described the decision to buy as "a counter-cyclical investment" for the long-term - the first aircraft is due to arrive in the third quarter of 2007. It highlighted the expected 10-15 per cent cost savings that Airbus has promised the A380 will offer over today's jets.
Lufthansa last week won agreement from its cabin crew on concessions, which include measures such as a four-day working week, pay cuts and early retirement. Agreement with the pilots and ground staff is thought to be close.
The order offers a welcome glimmer of optimism in an industry, which has been badly shaken by the fall-out from the September 11 attacks in the US. Although passenger numbers are beginning to show signs of recovery, they remain about a fifth below last year's levels.
Airlines, which have also been further burdened by additional security costs, have shed more than 120,000 jobs as a result.
Lufthansa has so far avoided job losses in its core airline operation, but warned in early November it would have to make about 4,000 of its 70,000 staff redundant if the unions did not agree to its cost-cutting.
Lufthansa said full implementation of its emergency recovery strategy could still allow it to avoid an expected E400m ($353m) loss for the year.