Jet airliner sales recorded a third consecutive flat year in 1998, with Airbus Industrie and Boeing together taking 1,100 orders worth $75 billion. Shipments have continued to increase, with the 780 aircraft delivered representing a 40% increase on 1997.
Provisional figures compiled by Flight International show orders split roughly equally between Airbus and Boeing, although the US manufacturer appears to be slightly ahead. The combined value of orders placed for large jets (over 100 seats) in 1998 was similar to 1997's (based on average 1998 list prices), but there has been a significant shift between the regions, largely at the expense of Asia.
In value terms, orders placed by Asian carriers fell from 17% of the total in 1997 to 8% in 1998, while the North American order value was down by 7% to 46%. Orders from European airlines represented 35% of the total value in 1998 - up 11% on the previous year. Latin America saw the greatest growth rate, with more than a fourfold increase from 2% in 1997 to 8% in 1998 ( the same level as that of Asia), largely because of the major deals concluded by several airlines for Airbus narrowbodies.
This marked drop-off in Asian business has also affected the split between narrowbody and widebody orders. Sales of narrowbodies were up by 10% in 1998 (to 77% of the total in unit terms), while widebody orders fell by 14%, to less than a quarter of the total.
Boeing's 550 aircraft delivery tally for 1998 represents a record, as does Airbus' total of 230 aircraft. Both manufacturers are planning further increases in 1999, which should see shipments peak at about 900 units before dropping back nearer to the 1998 level in 2000.
Source: Flight International
