May 30

Air France was the first customer for the Airbus A300, ordering six planes in September 1970. Airbus was having trouble finding clients for their launch aircraft by the time Air France placed their first A300 into service in May 1974. The 1973 oil crisis prompted an aviation slowdown, as carriers struggled to fill their current planes at higher costs demanded by more costly oil. This put a stop to investing money on newer aircraft, no matter how cost-effective they were. Airbus, like British pop acts, saw the need of expanding into the North American market.
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