Airbus hits sale landmark as it beats Boeing in the annual orders race

A last-minute surge pushed Airbus past its US rival for a third year as it held on to a 2010 net order market share of 52 per cent in the face of a resurgent Boeing, which was hit by cancellations in 2009 due to delays to its 787 Dreamliner.

EADS subsidiary Airbus said yesterday it had sold 644 planes worth over $84bn at list prices in 2010 after a surge of 200 orders in December, beating Boeing's total of 625.

For the eighth year running, Airbus delivered more planes than its US rival, topping the 500 mark for the first time while Boeing deliveries fell 4 per cent to 462. Planemakers only get paid on delivery, usually at least 18 months after purchase.

Airbus and Boeing are recovering from an industry recession which saw combined demand for their planes fall by more than two-thirds in 2009 as passenger and cargo air traffic plummeted.

"These figures show the economy is improving. We have dodged the bullet on a double-dip recession. Aviation is growing again because of Asia, low-cost carriers and emerging markets," Airbus sales chief John Leahy said.

"The only negative on the horizon is the fuel price." Airbus's late spree included the first firm purchase of a revamped A320 passenger jet, the A320neo, by Richard Branson's California-based low-cost airline Virgin America.

The entrepreneur staged a signing ceremony with Airbus executives, although the actual deal was concluded in secrecy at the end of December.

"To be chosen as the 10,000th customer is flattering and to be the customer of the most environmentally-friendly plane in the skies is particularly pleasing," Mr Branson said.

Last week Airbus announced the world's largest plane order by volume from India's IndiGo, including 150 new model A320 jets.