Airliner sales tumbled by 50% last year to 546 aircraft (in net terms, minus cancellations and adjustments), as the economic slowdown and 11 September attacks in the USA took their toll on the orderbooks of Airbus and Boeing. Deliveries increased by almost 7% to 852 aircraft.
The net-order spoils were evenly split between the two rivals in terms of units, although Airbus took over 60% of the business in dollar value. Airbus, which released its figures last week, has claimed victory in the order stakes, with its 375 gross order tally worth $44.7 billion. However, a clear-out of its orderbooks as a result of airline collapses and other cancellations saw the net figure fall to 274 aircraft.
Boeing continues to be the undisputed leader in the deliveries ranking, with its output of 527 aircraft representing over 60% of the total. Boeing deliveries represented over two-thirds of the market last year, in estimated value terms (based on 2001 list prices).
Airbus continues to predict that its 2002 output will be around 300aircraft, and sees no need for redundancies at the moment. Airbus chief executive Noel Forgeard says that the manufacturer aims to continue reducing costs, and will slash employee capacity by the equivalent of 6,000 jobs this year through the implementation of new working practices rather than job cuts. Forgeard warns, however, that if the crisis deepens or the cost-reduction targets are not achieved then lay-offs may be necessary.
| TABLE: Airbus and Boeing sales performance in 2001 | ||||
| Deliveries | Gross orders | Net orders | Backlog (YE) | |
| AIRBUS | ||||
| Units | 325 | 375 | 274 | 1,575 |
| Change on 2000 | +4.5% | -27.9% | -44.3% | -3.1% |
| Mkt share (units) | 38.1% | 52.8% | 50.2% | 53.7% |
| Value (bn) | $20.5 | $44.7 | $37.3 | $131.1* |
| Mkt share (value) | 31.3% | 60.2% | 60.3% | 52.4% |
| Boeing | ||||
| Units | 527 | 335 | 272 | 1,357 |
| Change on 2000 | +7.8% | -45.2% | -53.8% | -16.5% |
| Mkt share (units) | 61.9% | 47.2% | 49.8% | 46.3% |
| Value (bn) | $45.1* | $29.6* | $24.5* | $118.9* |
| Mkt share (value) | 68.7% | 39.8% | 39.7% | 47.6% |
| Total | ||||
| Units | 852 | 710 | 546 | 2,932 |
| Change on 2000 | +6.5% | -37.2% | -49.5% | -9.8% |
| Value (bn) | * $65.6 | $74.3 | $61.8 | $249.9 |
| NOTES * Where manufacturer value figures are unavailable, Flight International estimates have been calculated from manufacturer or other published 2001 list prices (YE) Year-end backlog | ||||
Source: Flight International
