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Scott Jagow: One of the world’s biggest air shows takes place this weekend. It’s in Dubai. The main attraction might be a showdown between Airbus and Boeing over an airplane order. Stephen Beard reports.

Stephen Beard: Dubai’s national carrier, Emirates, is expected to place a crucial order: a hundred mid-sized planes worth up to $20 billion.

Boeing is favorite to win the deal with its new 787 Dreamliner, but a six-month delay in the Dreamliner’s launch has boosted Airbus’s chances.

Howard Wheeldon is aviation analyst with brokers BGC:

Howard Wheeldon: I think what we might see is a lot of pressure on Boeing that if there is going to be a further delay in the 787, then this order may well go to Airbus.

Airbus’s new mid-sized plane has also suffered setbacks and delays. But, says Wheeldon, the Emirates airline is extremely adept at playing one company off against the other to get the best possible deal.

In London, this is Stephen Beard for Marketplace.