Sales of Airbus' revamped A320neo topped 1,000 as the European planemaker extended its lead over Boeing in the annual tug-of-war for jetliner sales, figures showed on Tuesday. Toulouse-based Airbus said it had won a total of 1,372 orders between January and October, more than three times the volume at the same stage last year and 2 1/2 times the 538 sales reported over the period by US rival Boeing.
After taking into account cancellations, the planemakers booked net sales of 1,231 and 428 aircraft respectively. Airbus, a subsidiary of EADS, is the world's largest commercial planemaker by deliveries ahead of Boeing. The latest Airbus figures include a sale of 110 aircraft to Qantas first announced in October, which included 78 revamped A320neos worth $91.2 million each at list prices.
Boeing hopes to catch up soon with 600 provisional orders for its own revamped 737 MAX waiting to be finalised, but so far Airbus stands well ahead of its rival in the battle to win sales for fuel-efficient narrow-body jets boasting new engines. Boeing announced key design details of the 737 MAX last week, including the crucial size of the fan for its engines. Airbus triggered one of the hottest market contests for years by deciding to put new engines on its 150-seat A320 jetliner in a bid to fend off competition from Canada's Bombardier and set the pace for delivering fuel savings.
Boeing endorsed the strategy by agreeing to re-engine the 737 in July after exploring a more radical but costly redesign which analysts said most airlines were reluctant to wait for. Both planemakers say their models make most economic sense. The A320 and 737 are by far the best-selling models of each manufacturer and the backbone of most airline fleets. They are seen as a cash cow for bigger projects such as the Boeing 787, which entered service this month, and Airbus' future A350.
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