Kevin O'Toole/London
BOEING AND AIRBUS have ended 1994 virtually tied on the volume of new aircraft orders taken during the year, according to preliminary figures released by Seattle and Toulouse.
Early returns suggest that Airbus may even have beaten its rival by a single aircraft, after netting 121 fresh orders. The official figures have yet to been published, however, and the totals may still be subject to final adjustments.
If Airbus does emerge as the leader, it will mark a major milestone for the European consortium, which Boeing will be reluctant to see it achieve. Claims by Airbus that it had beaten Boeing into second place over the first half of 1994 led to a high-level slanging match between the two manufacturers during the Farnborough air show (Flight International, 14-20 September, 1994).
The official figures will also help to reveal the full extent of cancellations over the year, which could knock some of the shine from the totals.
What is already clear is the extent to which McDonnell Douglas (MDC) continues to fall behind its main rivals. The manufacturer shows 23 bookings for the year, but the total dwindles to a mere four after accounting for cancellations. Alaska Airlines contributed by trading ten MD90 orders for four MD80s.
Source: Flight International
