New plane orders for European jetmaker Airbus fell to a five month low of seven aircraft in February, monthly figures showed on Tuesday.

The month's orders did not include any wide-bodied aircraft, also for the first time since September last year.

Airbus confirmed it had sold four narrow-body planes to British Airways, though the airline also ordered more expensive long-range jets from Boeing.

The Oman air force was among the other buyers of short- to medium-range A320-family jets in February.

Airbus plane orders have been increasingly dominated by lower-margin single-aisle jets as it wrestles with development problems in its 200-350 seaters and its delayed superjumbo.

The figures released by Airbus bring to 97 the cumulative total of 2007 plane orders received to end-February.

Over the same period, Airbus delivered 76 aircraft.

The company is currently in the middle of a political storm in France and Germany after announcing 10,000 job cuts as it battles to compete with Boeing.