Airbus delivered its first next-generation A350-900 plane to Qatar Airways Monday in a formal ceremony that kickstarts its bid to erode rival Boeing's dominance in the lucrative long-haul market.

The Doha-based company, owned by the energy-rich Gulf state, has ordered 80 of the planes, making it not only the launch customer but also the largest single customer of the fuel-efficient A-350 so far. Airbus says Singapore Airlines has ordered 70 of the A-350s.

For the moment, Boeing dominates the lucrative market for long-haul, mid-sized planes with its B-777 and next-generation 787 Dreamliner outweighing the European firm's A-330, reported Agence France-Presse.

Here's a comparison of the two wide-body jets from Airbus and Boeing: