Airbus took net orders for 747 aircraft last year, managing to double the net figure of 380 it had achieved by the end of November.
The airframer nevertheless lost out to rival Boeing both in terms of net orders – the US company reached 893 – and deliveries.
While it confirmed total deliveries of 800 aircraft, an all-time high and an increase of 11% on the previous year, Airbus fell slightly short of Boeing’s 806.
Airbus delivered 626 A320-family jets as well as 20 of the A220 family, the programme it acquired from Bombardier in July last year.
The A320 deliveries included 386 A320neos, accounting for over 60% of the total.
Airbus also handed over 93 A350s – up from the previous figure of 78 – and 49 A330s, among them the first three re-engined A330neos.
Twelve A380s were delivered, in line with the airframer’s target.
“Despite significant operational challenges, Airbus continued its production ramp-up and delivered a record number of aircraft,” says commercial aircraft president Guillaume Faury.
He says the order total is “healthy” and shows that the market has “underlying strength”.
Airbus took its backlog to 7,577 aircraft by the end of December, of which 480 are A220s.
Source: Cirium Dashboard
