Airbus beats Boeing in 2015 order race, lags on deliveries

[PARIS] European planemaker Airbus beat Boeing in the race for new business last year, 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, and 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.

Airbus achieved 635 deliveries, a company record and in line with its target of slightly more than the previous year's 629.

Boeing said last week that its deliveries rose 5 per cent to 762 jets, an industry record.

Combined deliveries came in a whisker below 1,400, having doubled in the past decade, and Airbus planemaking chief Fabrice Bregier said the latest data showed the market was "resilient".

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.

Airbus expects to close the gap with its competing A350, but deliveries have started gently due to industry-wide cabin supply problems and the European firm's determination to avoid a repeat of industrial problems that beset Boeing's 787 and its own A380.

As announced in December, Airbus confirmed it had delivered 14 A350s in 2015, instead of 15 as targeted.

It delivered 27 A380 superjumbos, compared with an original target of around 30, and said it had won two new net orders from an unidentified airline, ending a lengthy slump in new business for the world's largest jetliner.

REUTERS