Airbus beats Boeing in 2015 order race
European planemaker Airbus has beaten Boeing in the race for new business last year, swelling its total order book to a record $US1 trillion, but remained behind on deliveries as Boeing extended its lead as the world’s largest jetmaker.
The planemaking division of Airbus Group grabbed 1,036 net plane orders after cancellations, it said on Tuesday, down 29 per cent from 2014, compared with Boeing’s tally of 768, a fall of 46 per cent.
Both planemakers experienced a slowdown after two years of heavy orders, amid concerns over the impact of economic jitters and low oil prices on demand for fuel-saving jets.
Despite that, deliveries of popular models grew, reflecting industry forecasts of persistent growth in traffic.
Airbus hit a company record of 635 deliveries and predicted over 650 in 2016, with new orders again exceeding deliveries.
Boeing said last week its deliveries rose 5 per cent to 762 jets, an industry record.
Combined deliveries came in a whisker below 1400, having doubled in the past decade, and Airbus chief Fabrice Bregier said the latest data showed the market was “resilient”.
Airlines “do not expect oil prices to stay low forever,” he said.
However, Airbus dropped to its lowest overall share of deliveries against Boeing – 45 per cent – since 2002, and its lowest share of wide-body deliveries – 35 per cent – since 2001, after its rival pumped up deliveries of its 787 Dreamliner.
In a boost to the slow-selling A380, the world’s largest passenger jet, Airbus said it had won an order for three of the double-deckers from a “global leading airline”.
Japan’s Nikkei reported this month Japan’s biggest carrier ANA Holdings Inc (9202.T) was set to buy three of the jets.
As planemakers target further production increases, tensions meanwhile surfaced between Airbus and some top suppliers.
Sales chief John Leahy blamed US engine maker Pratt & Whitney for a delay in the first delivery of the new A320neo, while Bregier publicly told France’s Zodiac Aerospace to pull up its socks following seat production delays.
Airbus also expects to deliver “at least 50” of the new A350 jets in 2016.
Image credit: iStock
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