But Boeing Still Dominates More Profitable Twin-Aisle Segment

Corks are popping across Europe. Airbus Tuesday announced that it finished the year 2011 with 534 commercial aircraft deliveries to 88 customers, (ten of those new customers,) which makes 2011 its most successful year ever, and the tenth in a row to notch production increases.

The 534 deliveries beat the previous record set in 2010 by 24 aircraft. Airbus also reports a record order intake of 1,419 net commercial aircraft orders, worth $140 billion at list prices.

Tom Enders, Airbus president and CEO, commented, "Airbus' record order intake is the result of our strategic decision for A320neo (above). With this innovation we established a new industry standard, appreciated by our customers and followed by the competition."

Airbus didn't say it, but the popularity of its narrowbody, single-aisle aircraft means it will beat Boeing by a wide margin in both orders and deliveries for 2011, but Boeing will make it a closer race in terms of revenue. That's because Boeing dominates sales of larger planes, and expects 2011 to set a new record for sales of the 777 twin-aisle airliner (below).

The average list price of Boeing planes ordered in 2011 was about $145 million, compared to an average through November of about $105 million for Airbus, based on company announcements analyzed by The Wall Street Journal.

Airbus has also struggled getting production rates of its largest aircraft, the A380 superjumbo, up to projected levels. The four A380s delivered in December were a monthly record for the company.

FMI: www.airbus.com ; www.boeing.com/commercial/