Airbus Sets 2017 Delivery Record

Airbus delivered 718 aircraft during 2017, 4 percent higher than the previous year, setting a new record for the Toulouse-based company.

Breaking down the 718 deliveries, Airbus handed over 558 A320-family narrow-body planes, including 181 A320neos, as that aircraft’s engine supply issues eased. For wide-bodies, Airbus delivered 67 A330s, 78 A350s and 15 A380s.

The previous delivery high of 688 aircraft was set in 2016.

In addition to its record year for deliveries, Airbus added 1,109 net orders in 2017, bringing its order backlog to 7,265 aircraft at the end of December. The list price value of those orders is USD$1.059 trillion.

“A new Airbus delivery record coupled with our fifth best order intake wraps up a remarkable year for us,” Airbus COO Fabrice Brégier said.

While Airbus increased its delivery total, it continued to lag Boeing. Of the 1,481 commercial aircraft the pair handed over to customers, Boeing delivered 763, a 52 percent share, maintaining its lead which now extends to six years.

On net orders the position was reversed, with Airbus beating Boeing for the last five years, and in all but one year of the past ten. The Airbus total of 7,265 net orders comfortably beat Boeing on 5,864, a 55 percent to 45 percent ratio.

Airbus’s Brégier said the company will continue to ramp up production to meet the order backlog, with the A320-family on track to reach 60 aircraft per month by mid-2019. Widebody A350 production will reach 10 per month by the end of 2018 he said.