Airbus S.E. reported its fifteenth consecutive annual increase in commercial aircraft deliveries for 2017, setting a new record with 718 aircraft delivered to 88 customers, an increase of +4% over the record (688 aircraft) set for 2016. More significantly, Airbus posted a 52% rise in contracts for new commercial aircraft, logging 1,109 net orders, and allowing it to claim the annual title in that category versus Boeing’s 912 new orders for 2017.
Boeing earlier reported 2017 deliveries of 763 new aircraft, allowing it to claim that title for the year just concluded.
The impressive increase in new orders left Airbus with a backlog of 7,265 aircraft at the end of 2017, which it estimated at $1.059 trillion at list prices.
“A new Airbus delivery record coupled with our fifth best order intake wraps up a remarkable year for us,” stated Fabrice Brégier, Airbus COO and president of the Commercial Aircraft unit. “This outstanding achievement is testimony to the dedication of all our teams, and makes the company fitter, stronger and ready for the opportunities ahead.”
New orders were dominated by the A320 family, with a total of 1,054 single-aisle jets (926 of the A320ceo variant and 128 of the A320 variant) comprising most of the overall total.
Airbus showed particular strength in deliveries of single-aisle aircraft too, with 558 of its A320 series delivered, and a considerable increase in deliveries of wide-body aircraft: 67 A330s and 78 A350 XWBs, and 15 A380s.
Furthermore, OEM reported its four A320 series assembly plants (Hamburg, Germany; Tianjin, China; Mobile, Alabama; and Toulouse, France) are putting Airbus on track to reach a 60-jet/month production rate by 2019.
