European Aircraft Industry: Airbus tops rival Boeing for orders

A350 in flight

Airbus is leading the way in the skies over rival Boeing. Orders have taken off for the European company putting it ahead of the US planemaker after an unprecedented surge saw it book 468 orders for the month of December.

The company’s shares, which in December suffered their worst one-day plunge in more than six years after a prediction of flat profits, were up 0.3 percent.

Airbus clung to the top spot with 1,456 orders to Boeing’s 1,432. But the US manufacturer retains its place as the world’s largest plane maker for the third year running as it outstripped Airbus for deliveries with 723 compared to 629 from Airbus.

It is a highly competitive battle between the two companies. New orders are at the heart of the most critical element of all – future market share. At year end Airbus commanded over 50 percent market share for aircraft with more than 110 seats.

Last month the company made its first delivery of the new A350 to Qatar Airways. The jet is seen as crucial in its bid to retain top spot.

Antoine Juillard of euronews talked with Fabrice Bregier the Chief Executive of Airbus and asked him what the company’s ambitions are for the aircraft.

Fabrice Bregier: “We launched this new plane, which has been manufactured with many composite materials including the entire fuselage and the wings to make it lighter and so use less fuel. Since 2007 it’s been eight years of effort to deliver the first A350 to Qatar Airlines and now we are up and running.

Read more: Airbus tops rival Boeing for orders | euronews, economy

European Aircraft Industry: Emirates scraps order for 70 Airbus A350s

A350 Airbus

Dubai's Emirates airline has delivered a blow to European aerospace group Airbus, cancelling an order for 70 new-generation A350 airliners.

The long-distance aircraft, due to go into service this year, is the Airbus flagship project of the moment to compete with the Boeing 787 which has been flying since 2011.

The size of Wednesday's cancellation is the largest by a prestigious customer for a civil airliner.
Analysts estimate it represents about a tenth of the aircraft maker's 2014 orders.

Airbus said the cancellation followed an order placed by Emirates at the Dubai air show in November for an extra 50 A380 superjumbo planes.

The cancellation decision was made following "ongoing discussions with the airline in light of their fleet requirement review", Airbus said.

The deal was said to be worth $16.5bn (12bn euros) when it was announced in 2007, but the head of Airbus's sales division, John Leahy, said that customers were already interested in taking up the cancelled aircraft.

"It's not good news commercially but it has no impact financially," Leahy said.

Read more: Emirates scraps order for 70 Airbus A350s - Middle East - Al Jazeera English

European Aircraft Industry: Airbus A330 Production Rate Reaches 10 Per Month

Currently Airbus  is producing the A330-200 and A330-300 passenger variants, the A330-200F freighter and the military multi-role tanker transport aircraft, which is based on the A330-200 airframe. 

Airbus reports a current backlog volume of more than 280 orders for its A330, leading to the need for the increased production rate. 

The manufacturer is preparing for the maiden flight of its latest wide body aircraft, the A350 XWB, this summer. The A350 is scheduled to enter commercial service for its launch customer, Qatar Airways, in early 2014.

Read more: Aviation Today :: Airbus A330 Production Rate Reaches 10 Per Month