Airbus completed a dominating performance over its hampered rival in 2021 to walk away with the crown as the largest aircraft maker in the world for the third straight year.
According to calculations from AirInsight, unaudited results ahead of official tallies from the manufacturer show Airbus used a late-year blitz to best its goal of 600 deliveries by handing over around 610 aircraft on the year. That included a blistering total of 92 deliveries in December.
Rival Boeing Co., slowed in 2021 by returning output on the 737 Max and long delivery pauses of its 787 Dreamliner, had 302 deliveries through the end of November.
Both companies are expected to release annual delivery and order results next week.
More unexpectedly is what Bloomberg reports is going to be a late push by Airbus on sales to surpass Boeing (NYSE: BA) on net orders after trailing on that metric most of the year.
The publication, citing announced sales, estimates Airbus will end 2021 with a 58-aircraft order win over Boeing.
Both manufacturers are in the process of ramping up production on single-aisle aircraft like the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 as domestic travel rebounds more quickly from the pandemic than widebody international travel.
Chicago-based Boeing (NYSE: BA) employs nearly 57,000 workers in the Puget Sound region, with factories in Everett and Renton, where it builds its 737s. Airbus has scores of suppliers in the area. Visit website
