Part 3/9:
Airbus entered the commercial aviation market later than Boeing, which began dominating the scene with its initial 737 introduction back in 1968. The introduction of the A300 in 1972 marked Airbus's initial foray into the market—offering a twin-engine alternative to the widebody aircraft that typically featured three or four engines. While the A300 struggled to find its footing for years, the eventual deregulation of airlines in the U.S. in 1978 began to pivot the landscape more favorably toward Airbus, especially as airlines sought more efficient short-haul aircraft.