And in the end it’s… Airbus that wins. Once again, the European aircraft manufacturer has taken the lead in 2022 in terms of orders and deliveries against its American rival Boeing. It thus delivered 661 aircraft against 611 the previous year, which represents an increase of 8%. This performance alone indicates that the recovery in activity is now well established. This figure is followed very closely by the aircraft manufacturers, because it is at the time of delivery of the aircraft that they are paid by their customers.
However, the world number one in aeronautics, chaired by Guillaume Faury, did not reach the target it had set: 720 aircraft delivered. “We are clearly below our targets, but given the complexity of our operational environment, I would like to thank our teams and our partners for the efforts made and the results obtained”said Tuesday, January 10, the boss of Airbus.
In practice, some of the links in the European aircraft manufacturer’s chain of suppliers were unable to keep pace with its ramp-up due to labor shortages and supply difficulties. The year 2023 may not see any improvement, quite the contrary. “The production difficulties will continue”warned Mr. Faury.
Some subcontractors are still expected to suffer from rising energy costs combined with inflation and the effects of China’s policy to combat Covid-19. It is unlikely that Airbus will be able to produce 75 A320s per month. A goal that Guillaume Faury still intends to achieve in the middle of the decade. At the close of the Paris Bourse on Wednesday, the action of the aircraft manufacturer was down 1.04%.
Airbus in the lead in medium-haul
For its part, Boeing did not look pale. Admittedly, the American delivered only 480 aircraft in 2022, but it is almost equal in terms of orders, with 808 sales against 820 for Airbus. Scores higher than those obtained in 2019, the last year before the pandemic.
In detail, the European aircraft manufacturer is in the lead in medium-haul, the most competitive and most profitable segment. It holds nearly 60% of the market share there, with 516 deliveries of A320 family aircraft and 53 copies of its new best-selling A220, the ex-Bombardier CSeries. Widely behind in this niche, Boeing retains its traditional leadership in long-haul jumbo jets by a breath, with 94 deliveries against 92 for Airbus.
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