Aircraft

The details of Airbus's sixth consecutive win over rival Boeing in the annual orders race reveal a series of fevered deal-closing sessions in December.

Airbus had only booked 687 orders by the end of November, but its salesmen have worked until the very end of the month to close key deals including firming a "general sales agreement" with the Chinese government for a 150-aircraft order. In total, Airbus managed to book 424 orders (please note table below is incorrect by 10) during the last month of 2005, taking its gross order total to 1,111, beating Boeing's total of 1,029 by 82. Airbus chief executive Gustav Humbert announced the total at a press conference in Paris yesterday (pictured below).
Airbus recorded a net figure of 1,055 orders in 2005, beating Boeing's net order total of 1,002 by 53 aircraft.

The European manufacturer's single-aisle line won the day. A deal for 20 A319s, 100 A320s and 30 A321s destined for various Chinese carriers and ordered by China’s state aviation investment organisation was closed on 1 December. This was followed by a series of large orders, including 25 A319s and 45 A320s ordered by Aercap (formerly Debis Air Finance) on 30 December.

Analysts have pointed out that Boeing’s orders were worth more in dollar terms than Airbus’s, fuelling speculation that Airbus may have dipped deeper into its discount pocket than previously, in order to win the symbolic victory of total orders.
Airbus has also disclosed, in its order breakdown for December, that its record total was assisted by orders for 30 A320s from Air Deccan and a further 30 from Kingfisher Airlines, plus 20 A319s from EasyJet, and 19 narrowbodies from Virgin America.

Full details of Airbus's December orders are listed below.

Read Kieran Daly's blog on how his prediction was proved right