Boeing retakes crown as Airbus reports 403 orders

The European aircraft manufacturer Airbus said on Monday that it received orders for 403 planes in the 10 months from January to the end of October, half as many as US rival Boeing which has regained the title of world's leading plane maker which it lost in 2006. In October, Airbus chalked up orders for 23 planes, including four wide-body A350-900 models for the Libyan airline Afriqiya that was just unveiled. In the year to November 9 meanwhile, Boeing has taken orders for 1,009 aircraft. Both companies are revamping their lines to provide more fuel-efficient planes, and the A350 family, which is to enter commercial service by the end of 2014, competes with Boeing's 787 model, which was first delivered to customers last year. The A350 is also a competitor for Boeing's 777 wide-body jet that is well established in the market for long-haul aircraft. Boeing has recorded strong orders this year for its 737 MAX jetliner, designed for medium-length flights, and which is due to be delivered in 2017, two years after its closest rival, the Airbus A320 Neo. Since its commercial launch in mid 2011, Boeing has received orders for 938 of the 737 MAX model. Airbus says that airlines have put in orders for 1,469 of the A320 Neo plane.