Airbus tops Boeing

AIRBUS TOPS BOEING: For the first time, Airbus has delivered more aircraft thanBoeing in a calendar year, delivering 305 aircraft in 2003 to Boeing’s 281.
Airbus said deliveries would remain flat this year, while Boeing this year expects to make 270-290 deliveries, with no recovery in orders expected before 2005. Airbus, too, says that 2004 will not see a significant recovery.
Boeing recorded a drop in deliveries of 100 aircraft or 26% in 2003 compared to 2002, and barely half the number of aircraft it delivered in 2001.
Of the 281 commercial aircraft delivered to customers in 2003, there were 12 717s, 173 737s, 19 747s, 14 757s, 24 767s and 39 777s. There were 381 aircraft delivered by Boeing in 2002, and 523 aircraft in 2001.
The fourth quarter of 2003 was a little healthier than the rest of the year and was again dominated by 737 sales, but was still 16 aircraft or 18.4% down on the same period last year. In the final quarter of the year, Boeing delivered three 717s, 47 737s, five 747s, one 757, three 767s and 12 777s for a total of 71 aircraft, compared to 87 aircraft in the final quarter of 2002.