Airbus set to win order race vs Boeing after 1,000 sales in January-November

Airbus orders topped 1,000 aircraft between January and November, putting the European planemaker on track to win its annual order race against Boeing while leaving its US rival in front in airplanes delivered.

Airbus shares rose 3.8 per cent in morning Paris trading.

The main planemaking unit of Europe’s Airbus Group said on Monday it had sold 169 airplanes in November, to bring the total of gross orders so far this year to 1,079.

After adjusting for cancellations and model conversions, which rose by 12 in November, Airbus posted 1,007 net orders.

Boeing recorded 655 gross orders between Jan 1 and Dec 2, or 568 net orders after cancellations and conversions.

Airbus recorded 556 aircraft deliveries in the first 11 months, including 10 of its newest jet, the A350, and 24 of the world’s largest passenger plane, the A380.

Boeing, however, with 709 deliveries over the same period, looked certain to retain its crown as the world’s largest planemaker in 2015.