Airbus CEO Admits They Will Lose The Crown in 2025 Despite Winning in Deliveries, Backlog

Boeing is shaping up to earn the gold medal for aircraft orders in 2025… but what does that really mean for the competition? The answer is not much, as Airbus remains firmly ahead in deliveries and backlog despite not having tariffs on its side for much of the year.

Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury was first to acknowledge the likely defeat, noting that Boeing was “helped by the American president as part of tariff negotiations with several countries, where plane orders became part of the resolution of trade disputes."

Through November, Boeing logged 1,000 gross orders, or 908 net after cancellations. Airbus recorded 700 net orders in the same period. Faury attributes part of this success to US tariff negotiations that turned aircraft deals into bargaining chips. Several carriers, especially in Asia and the Middle East, placed or timed Boeing orders to ease trade tensions, which Boeing’s leadership has openly credited to support from Washington.

Even President Trump joined for the victory lap, claiming that he “sold 1,000 Boeing planes” during his Gulf tour. Though the self-awarded “greatest salesman in the history of Boeing” title may be a stretch, the deals had a clear contribution to Boeing’s order surge. This was especially true for its 787 Dreamliner, with 700 orders still in the log.

Airbus doesn’t seem too phased by the loss… and for good reason. The manufacturer expects to remain the world’s biggest jet producer due to higher deliveries and a backlog that stretches five years or more. Its A321neo and XLR programs continue to be strong sellers, and new production lines are ramping up to hit a goal of 75 aircraft per month by 2027.

That doesn’t mean that Airbus hasn’t faced obstacles this year, one of which was global software recalls on A320-family aircraft that forced thousands of flight cancellations. Supply chain issues have kept both manufacturers from meeting delivery targets, with Airbus trimming its 2025 goal from 820 jets to 790.

China remains the big target for both OEMs. Potential orders of 500 jets are up in the air, but neither side expects a near-term mega-deal. Beijing recently cleared Airbus to proceed with 120 previously ordered aircraft without dropping its negotiations with Boeing for a similarly sized deal. Many expect China to continue balancing purchases to avoid egging on the trade friction.

FMI: www.airbus.com