Boeing says first-half orders soar past Airbus
(Reuters) - Boeing Co’s (BA.N) first-half aircraft orders were more than double those of Airbus SE (AIR.PA), while its jetliner deliveries rose 7.4 percent from the year-ago period.
Boeing, the world’s largest planemaker, recorded 460 net aircraft orders during the period, it said on Tuesday. Last week Airbus said it recorded 206 orders.
Boeing’s new orders have rebounded after losing the race in that category to Airbus last year.
Boeing has said it aims to ship between 810 and 815 commercial aircraft in 2018, as much as 6.8 percent more than the industry-record 763 jets it delivered in 2017, putting it ahead of Airbus for the sixth year in a row. Airbus, conversely, forecasts delivering around 800 planes in general for 2018.
Chicago-based Boeing said first-half deliveries rose 7.4 percent to 378 aircraft, led by higher demand for its best-selling single-aisle 737 jetliners. Deliveries have been fueled by strong demand from airlines that are enjoying booming passenger travel.
Airbus delivered 303 aircraft in the first half, down about 1 percent from a year earlier.
Boeing shares were up 1.7 percent to $347.88.
Reporting by Ankit Ajmera in Bengaluru and Eric M. Johnson in Seattle; Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty and Jeffrey Benkoe