Arch rivals Airbus and Boeing yesterday smashed all records for plane sales - in the process providing work worth billions of pounds for firms in the West Midlands - as deals announced at the Dubai air show topped $82 billion (£39.2 billion).

Airbus moved ahead of Boeing in their annual battle for orders, with both scoring key wins at Dubai, including orders for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and the Airbus A350 XWB.

State-owned Dubai Aerospace Enterprise signed letters of intent for 100 planes from each maker, among them 30 A350s and 30 large Boeing models, including the 787, 777 and 747-8 freighter.

Air Arabia, the Middle East's largest low-cost carrier, ordered $3.5 billion (£1.67 billion) of aircraft from Airbus, including 34 A320s and options for 15 more.

State-owned Saudi Arabian Airlines ordered $1.7 billion (£817 million) of Airbus A320s, including 22 firm orders and options for eight more to replace older aircraft. It was the carrier's first Airbus order since 1981.

Boeing said it won an order for six 787 aircraft from leasing company LCAL worth $972 million (£465 million), and another for two 787s from Royal Jordanian Airlines for $320 million (£153 million).

Airbus chief operating officer John Leahy said the planemaker was at 1,122 orders for the year, its highest ever. He predicted the A350 would have 300 orders by year's end.

The A350 got off to a slow start and has seen fitful design changes over the last two years but the DAE deal and Emirates' order for 70 plus 50 options on Sunday have provided a boost.

Airbus chief executive Tom Enders said the planemaker was focused on demonstrating "we can not only get orders, but deliver," referring to the company's efforts to overcome costly delays in its A380 superjumbo.

He said the orders in Dubai showed airlines and lessors backed not only the A350, but the company after its troubles with the superjumbo.

"It's not the numbers but the confidence in the long run," he said, referring to winning orders for deliveries spread out to 2018.

The deal from DAE comes as the Dubaibased firm launches an aircraft leasing company, part of broader plans to invest $15 billion (£7.17 billion) over five years in aerospace-related businesses.

"We are laying down a significant marker," said Bob Genise, chief executive officer of DAE's aircraft leasing unit, DAE Capital. "We have fairly ambitious goals."

DAE has joined airline Emirates as a symbol of the region's surging growth as Dubai positions itself as a major hub airport and destination for both industry and tourists.

Dubai is building one of the world's biggest airports, capable of handling as many as 120 million passengers per year as it seeks to capitalise on its location between Europe, Asia and Africa.

Mr Leahy noted Dubai was the world's 28th busiest hub airport 10 years ago and was now 10th.

"That's why the record number of A380s are going to Emirates," Mr Leahy said, referring to a back order of 58 of the double-decker planes held by the airline, n British Airways flyers were facing another hike in ticket costs yesterday after record oil prices forced the airline to raise its fuel surcharges for the third time this year.

The move comes as the carrier faces a £2 billion annual fuel bill for the first time.

Under BA's latest plans, the fuel surcharge for return short-haul flights will increase by £4 to £20. On long-haul return flights of more than nine hours, it will rise by £30 to £116, while those under nine hours will increase by £20 to £96.

The latest move - effective on tickets booked from this Thursday - follows similar moves by the carrier in April and June.