Final Score for 2011: Airbus, 1,419 New Orders; Boeing, 805 New Orders
For the fourth consecutive year, Airbus has won the new-orders battle with Boeing. The European jet maker believes its success over its American rival can be largely attributed to strong demand for its revamped single-aisle plane.
All told, Airbus brought in 1,419 orders in 2011, worth $140 billion, leaving in its wake, Boeing, with 805 aircraft orders. In case this comes up in Trivial Pursuit, Airbus now owns the new world record for orders taken in a year -- by 6 jets. Boeing took in 1,413 orders in 2007.
Airbus also won the delivery battle, handing over the keys to 534 aircraft last year, compared to the 477 planes Boeing sent to its customers.
The recent success by Airbus is largely attributed to its reworked single aisle jet, A320neo, which supposedly is now 15 percent more fuel-efficient than Boeing's workhorse, the 737.
The revamped A320 was a response to Boeing's new version of its best-selling 737 model, which will have a new engine and is known as the 737 max.
Airbus' top salesman John Leahy concedes that the stiff competition posed by Boeing's re-fashioned 737 could unset Airbus from besting Boeing for new orders in 2012.
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