Boeing Orders Up, Trailing Airbus

Boeing said on Thursday its commercial plane orders for the year stood at 580, on a par with last year's record-breaking performance, but trailing rival Airbus.

The Chicago-based plane maker, which unveiled its 787 Dreamliner on Sunday, reported 36 new orders in the past week -- 35 for 787s and one for a private 787 jumbo from an unnamed customer.

German low-cost airline Air Berlin said at the weekend it would buy 25 787s, while Kuwait's Aviation Lease and Finance Co. said it would buy 10 more 787s, on top of its existing order for 12.

Boeing now has 677 firm orders for its lightweight, fuel-efficient 787, with Australia's Qantas Airways poised to order a further 20, according to remarks by the airline's chief executive at a Boeing event last week.

The carbon-composite, widebody plane -- which is set to enter service in May -- is outselling Airbus's rival A350 XWB so far this year. But Airbus holds the edge in single-aisle planes. At the end of June, the European company had orders for 680 aircraft.

Boeing won back the title of biggest-selling plane maker last year with a record-breaking 1,044 net orders. Airbus had held the lead in annual orders for the previous five years.

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