With just over a month remaining of the year, the indications are that orders for Airbus and Boeing will be better than some had forecast but still substantially down on the record-breaking sales achieved in 2007.
By the end of October Airbus had secured 794 gross orders and the airframer - through Spain's Grupo Marsans - has added at least a further 61 this month, taking its gross tally to 855 aircraft.
Airbus has suffered 119 cancellations so far this year - the most recent being the 65 A319s ordered by collapsed US start-up Skybus Airlines - which have dented its overall sales performance.
But its performance is ahead of the prediction by Airbus' chief salesman, John Leahy, early this year that its 2008 orders would be less than half of the 2007 total of 1,458.
Airbus, by the end of October, had delivered 391 aircraft. Leahy had predicted over 470 deliveries this year, exceeding last year's figure.
Boeing has not issued any order guidance, but its total 2008 gross orders to the end of October stand at 639 aircraft.
Combined gross orders for the two companies over the first 10 months total 1,433 aircraft, down 28% on their combined sales at the same point last year - when Airbus had sold 958 aircraft and Boeing 1,021 - and economic considerations suggest a year-end order surge is unlikely.
Source: Flight International
