Airbus inching towards record high in net orders, deliveries
10 Oct 2011
European commercial aircraft manufacturer, Airbus SAS, has reported larger net orders and deliveries of aircraft for the first three quarters of the year than its Trans-Atlantic, US rival Boeing Co. In the process it has crept closer to a record, also set by it in 2007, for record bookings.
This has been made possible mainly because of the introduction of its upgraded single-aisle jet, the A320neo.
Airbus has won 1,038 net aircraft orders, after 141 cancellations during the first nine months, the Toulouse, France-based company said today in a statement. Orders include 918 A320neos, which offer more fuel-efficient engines than the existing A320 series.
Airbus reached a record high for net new orders in 2007, with contracts for 1,341 aircraft.
An order from Qantas Airways for 110 A320s will figure in the October listing. Market observers note that prospects being reasonably bright for securing additional orders at the Dubai Air Show in November, the Toulouse-France-based manufacturer may well reach its 2007 high.
As of now, Boeing reports 426 net orders for the year, excluding 105 cancelled contracts. However, net orders are up from 392 for the same period last year.
