Airbus delivered more than 530 jets in 2011, beating a company forecast and almost certainly maintaining its lead over Boeing for the ninth year running, industry sources said. The European planemaker had predicted deliveries of 520-530 aircraft, up 4 percent from the previous year as urbanisation and demand from emerging markets cushion both leading aircraft manufacturers from a feeble Western economy.
Commercial aircraft production continues to grow, despite uncertainty late last year over the availability of financing, and looks to have hit a combined level above 1,000 jets for the first time in 2011. The market for jets over 100 seats is dominated by EADS subsidiary Airbus and Boeing, with China, Russia and Canada preparing to challenge them in the lower end of the market later this decade.
Airbus declined to comment on its 2011 performance ahead of a company presentation on January 17. Airbus overtook Boeing in 2003 in a global passenger jet market valued at $4 trillion over the next 20 years. Airbus also won a bigger share of orders than its US rival in 2010 after promising to revamp its best-selling A320 150-seat jetliner with new fuel-saving engines.
Industry sources say Airbus is on course to end 2011 with well over 1,600 orders, pushing Boeing to the lowest market share of their 40-year rivalry. Airbus notched up 1,521 orders between January and November against 894 for Boeing. Both companies are expected to include last-minute orders in their final end-year figures.
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