Airbus Poised to Set New Records with 2000 Aircraft Orders, Outpacing Boeing for Fifth Consecutive Year
Airbus is on the brink of achieving a historic milestone as it prepares to set new records with a staggering 2,000 aircraft orders, outpacing its rival Boeing for the fifth consecutive year.
According to Reuters, Airbus is all set to break its own record for the most aircraft orders, with 2023 poised to be a record-breaking year. This remarkable achievement has been made possible through a series of substantial deals with major airlines.
In recent weeks, Airbus secured significant contracts, including one with Turkish Airlines, which confirmed an order for 220 Airbus jets, with 150 of them being the popular A321neo model. Furthermore, the British budget airline, EasyJet, announced its order for 157 A320neo aircraft, while German flag carrier Lufthansa added 40 A220s to the mix.
When these deals are combined, Airbus’s total orders for the year now exceed the previous record set in 2014, which stood at approximately 1,800 aircraft, as reported by Reuters. However, it’s important to note that the official figures won’t be disclosed until January.
Comparatively, Bloomberg reports that Airbus has already received orders for over 2,000 aircraft in the current year, comfortably surpassing Boeing’s 1,200 orders. Analysts suggest that this surge in orders indicates a resurgence in demand after several years of subdued activity.
While Boeing managed to secure more orders than Airbus at the recent Dubai Airshow, thanks in part to Emirates’ monumental $52 billion order for 95 widebody jets, Airbus enjoyed a stronger performance at the larger Paris Air Show in June. This positions Airbus favorably to potentially clinch the title for the fifth consecutive year in terms of aircraft deliveries.
If achieved, this record-breaking accomplishment will mark a significant milestone for Christian Scherer, Airbus’ chief commercial officer, who is set to assume the role of CEO of Airbus’s commercial aircraft division in the upcoming year.
While both Boeing and Airbus continue to work on closing significant deals before year-end, the current trajectory suggests that Airbus is well-poised to secure record-setting jetliner orders in 2023, driven by robust demand from European airlines and a surge in deliveries.
It’s important to note that while gross orders provide an overall snapshot of market activity, industry experts often consider “net orders,” which exclude cancellations and conversions, as a more meaningful indicator of a jetmaker’s performance. Official net order figures for the year will be available in January.
The aviation industry is experiencing a rush of orders as airlines strive to modernize their fleets amid concerns about potential aircraft shortages in the coming years. Both Airbus and Boeing are expected to announce more deals in the coming month, capitalizing on the resurgence in demand following the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
This impending record underscores the remarkable sales career of Christian Scherer, as he prepares to take on the role of CEO of Airbus’s overall civil jetliner business in the new year.
While the aviation industry is poised for an optimistic finish to the year, Airbus is also addressing a strategic setback involving Thai Airways. The airline is reportedly finalizing an order for 80 GE-powered Boeing 787s due to pricing disputes with long-time supplier Rolls-Royce, which powers Airbus’s competing A350 and had previously ordered 787s.
On the production front, Airbus delivered 623 aircraft between January and November, with just 97 more to be delivered in December to meet its annual target of 720 aircraft. With a little over 10 days left, the company appears well-positioned to achieve this goal. This marks Airbus’s second attempt to reach the 720 deliveries target after supply challenges thwarted last year’s efforts.
While analysts express confidence in Airbus meeting its delivery targets for 2023, they anticipate challenges in the following year due to production ramp-up constraints arising from material and parts shortages.
Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, bloomberg.com, reuters.com, airbus.com