Airbus Says A350 Design Less Risky Than Grounded Boeing 787

Airbus SAS Chief Executive Officer Fabrice Bregier said he’s sticking with a goal of flying the A350 jet mid-year and that it represents “a lower risk approach” than the Boeing Co. 787 grounded by U.S. regulators yesterday.

While the A350 wide-body will use some of the technology now under scrutiny on the rival 787, including lithium-ion batteries, the Airbus model has significant variations including a “more traditional” electrical architecture, Bregier said.