Airbus executives have said they need at least five customers to go into production.

Airbus executives argue that the steady growth in air travel requires bigger and more efficient aircraft.

Airbus executives predict it will be about 1,200.

Airbus executives would not give dollar figures for the order.

"Three or four planes is not a huge thing, but collaboration with a $10-billion-plus program certainly is," one Airbus executive said.

Airbus executives shrugged off the shortfall, saying some orders had been delayed by paperwork.

Airbus executives here were defiant, saying the A350 had collected more than 100 orders from airlines.

Airbus executives still act like their company is on a roll.

After years of study, Airbus executives announced two weeks ago that they would proceed with plans to build the huge new aircraft.