Airbus subsidies illegal, world body rules

The World Trade Organisation said Britain and other European countries gave billions to Airbus in illegal subsidies, in a trade dispute ruling that backed its rival, US aviation giant Boeing.

The preliminary ruling by the Geneva-based WTO, although expected to be challenged by the European Union, could begin to shake up the £2trn (€2.3trn) global market in new airliners, in which Airbus has overtaken Boeing.