Airbus remains ahead of last year's delivery total with 417 aircraft by the end of October, compared with 399 at the same point in 2009.

The airframer booked orders for another 42 aircraft in October, 30 of which were Airbus A320s for BOC Aviation.

Qatar Airways listed another pair of A320s while Hong Kong Airlines firmed its order for 10 A330s - which will include three A330-300s, according to Airbus' latest backlog figures.

The airframer also recorded the cancellation of a single A340-500 from a private customer.

Its gross order total this year has reached 421 aircraft - compared with 151 at the same stage last year - and it has achieved a net figure of 369.

Airbus delivered 37 aircraft in October, including the fourth A380 for Lufthansa, bringing deliveries of the double-deck aircraft this year to 15. Airbus has been aiming for at least 20 A380 deliveries in 2010.

Source: Air Transport Intelligence news