Washington: Europe's Airbus accused the White House of derailing open competition by helping Boeing win a record aircraft deal in Indonesia as details emerged of a behind-the-scenes struggle over jobs and aeroplane sales worth almost $22 billion (Dh80.9 billion).

The European planemaker's sales chief said lobbying over the deal on behalf of President Barack Obama had demonstrated double standards on free-market competition amid an ongoing row between Washington and Europe over aircraft subsidies.

"There's only one sup-erpower in the world and I think we know it isn't France; it is probably represented by President Obama," John Leahy said at a market briefing in Washington on Thursday.

"When he starts making headlines that he is selling aeroplanes and how that wouldn't happen without his personal involvement, we are seeing economic distortion and we shouldn't be talking about free and open level playing fields for trade around the world if the US pulls stuff like that." Attending the Lion Air signing ceremony during a nine-day Pacific tour in mid-November, Obama called the deal a "win-win" for US workers and Asian consumers and said his administration and the Ex-Im bank played a key role in facilitating the sale.

The White House said it would support 110,000 industrial US jobs, addressing a key issue in next year's elections. Analysts say a deal between Lion Air and Airbus would have been a surprise since it has an all-Boeing fleet and Europe's jetmaker has previously tried and failed to win its business. But lifting the lid on secretive yet fruitless negotiations to invade Boeing's turf a second time, Leahy said Airbus might have won a deal if it had not been for political intervention. "The CEO and owner of that airline, who has bought nothing but Boeing aeroplanes, actually came to see me in Toulouse twice to talk about buying the aeroplanes and in the end told me he had no choice," Leahy said.

"I am not sure what ‘has no choice' means, but there seems to have been an awful lot of political interference and I think the White House is very proud of that, taking credit for it, saying it would not have happened without White House intervention. Well, that is probably true, but it doesn't really speak well for freedom of competition and free trade."

Largest aircraft deals for two planemakers

Last month, Obama showcased an order for 230 jets from Indonesian budget carrier Lion Air worth $21.7 billion at list prices, the largest commercial deal in Boeing's history.

That came months after Airbus pulled off a dramatic coup by landing its own largest order in volume terms for 260 aircraft from American Airlines, toppling an exclusive Boeing customer. The move prompted Boeing to alter its strategy and match Airbus by refreshing its most-sold 737 model with new engines.