Airbus secured net orders for 271 aircraft in 2009, far ahead of Boeing's 142.

Gross orders for the airframer totalled 310. Airbus parent EADS had been maintaining a forecast of 300.

The figures have been lifted by the firming in December of recent agreements with Air New Zealand, LAN, Virgin Atlantic and China Eastern Airlines.

Airbus detailed the figures at an event in Seville today.

It declared gross orders for 228 A320-family aircraft, 78 A330/340/350s and four A380s.

EADS chief Louis Gallois says that 2009 was "not an easy year", and adds that the financial position of airlines in 2010 is still a "topic of concern".

a320 
 © Airbus
Airbus A320 family

Airbus delivered 498 aircraft over the course of 2009, a record figure for the airframer.

The deliveries included 402 A320-family aircraft. It also delivered 86 A330/340s and 10 A380s.

"Considering the economical and financial environment we have done rather well in 2009," says Airbus chief Tom Enders.

But he admits that the failure to meet the A380 delivery target is a "disappointment".

The airframer is aiming to deliver "at least" 20 A380s this year.

Enders adds that, over the past 18 months, deferrals and other changes affected 600 aircraft over the 2009-11 period.

Source: Air Transport Intelligence news