The revival of aeronautics is confirmed month after month. A rebound that makes the Airbus and Boeing aircraft manufacturers happy. As proof, during the first half of the year, the European manufacturer delivered 297 devices. This is a hundred more than during the same period in 2020, when the world number one in aeronautics had only delivered 196 planes to its customers.
The European aircraft manufacturer is not the only one to regain shape. Its great American rival Boeing is also resuming its colors, with 45 deliveries in June. His best score since March 2019, before the crisis, when he had delivered 54 devices. “The market is picking up”, welcomes Airbus. However, the European aircraft manufacturer has not yet regained its pre-crisis levels. Far from it ! Compared to 2019, there are still a hundred devices missing.
The aircraft manufacturers are not yet claiming victory. As Airbus admits, “Forecasts are mainly based on current order books”. In other words, the two rivals still live mainly on their achievements. It must be said that they are huge. Airbus has an order for nearly 7,000 aircraft, including more than 5,600 A320 Family aircraft. It is more than ten years of guaranteed production. Affected by the 737 MAX crisis, Boeing’s order book is a little less extensive, with “only” 4,166 aircraft to be produced.
Nevertheless, the time has come for optimism on both sides of the Atlantic. In addition to deliveries, orders are also back, after months of scarcity. Airbus registered 73 in June. According to figures published, Tuesday, July 13, the American manufacturer has, for its part, inflated its order book, in June, by 146 additional devices. This is his best score since June 2018, when he had won 233 planes. But the strongest signal of the end of the crisis is the return of giant orders.
“Decarbonize aircraft fleets”
At the end of June, the American company United Arlines announced a contract estimated at more than 30 billion dollars (25.4 billion euros) for the purchase of 270 aircraft, including 200 Boeing 737 MAX and 70 Airbus A321. This is the largest order in the history of the American company. She’s not the only one. At the end of March, Southwest Airlines, another of the overseas sky majors, had already ordered 100 Boeing 737 MAXs.
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