MAX KINGSLEY-JONES / LONDON
European manufacturer delivers more aircraft than its US rival for first time, achieving 53% market share
Airbus has finally reached the top step of the production podium, delivering more airliners in one year than its rival Boeing for the first time in its 33-year history.
Airbus is expected to confirm officially next week that it delivered a little over 300 aircraft in 2003, compared to around 280 for Boeing, giving the European company a 53% share of deliveries or airliners with over 100 seats. This marks a watershed for Airbus, which was set up in 1970 and delivered its first aircraft in 1974.
The situation is no surprise, given that the two companies had first published 2003 projections in mid-2002 that indicated this shift in the balance of power was imminent. Airbus had already issued warning of its intent during the first six months of 2003, when it out-delivered Boeing in a half-year period for the first time.
Airbus only began to get on equal footing with the US manufacturer in output terms in the late 1990s, after McDonnell Douglas was absorbed by Boeing. Its rise has been steady over the past 10 years, with its delivery share growing from less than 30% in 1994.
The production achievement comes after Airbus has outsold Boeing in three of the last four years. It moved from under 20% of the gross order total in 1995 to parity in 1998. The two companies then traded places for three years, and since then Airbus has come out on top. Airbus chief commercial officer John Leahy predicts that the market will settle with Airbus and Boeing alternating at the top in the 40-60% market share band.
Until last year, Boeing had always beaten Airbus in output, and maintained that this was the true measure of market share as some orders are cancelled before delivery. Boeing now says that "in an industry that has two large manufacturers, some years Airbus may deliver more, some years Boeing may deliver more".
Source: Flight International
