Since the introduction of the A300, Airbus has delivered 16,000 aircraft and has become the world's largest commercial jet maker.

Before the 1960s, American designs dominated air travel. It took cross-country collaboration to produce the first successful European airliner: the Airbus A300.

Digging out the details of the Airbus A300 in-service fleet 50 years after its first flight is complicated.

Airbus on July 12 delivered its last Airbus A300 and has thus formally ceased production of its first type. The aircraft was handed over to FedEx as the 821st aircraft of the A300/A310 series.