Airbus Beats Boeing in Air-Show Deals

FARNBOROUGH, England—Airbus Group SE racked up $35 billion in plane deals at the Farnborough Air Show this week, beating out Boeing Co. which followed with $26.8 billion in preliminary or final orders from customers.

Airbus and Boeing have been battling it out at the biennial aerospace extravaganza southwest of London, one the aero-defense sector's most important trade shows.

The European plane maker exited the event with 380 net firm orders for the year, overtaking Boeing which had been ahead for most of the year. The U.S. rival ended the air show with 321 net orders.

Airbus has had a full-year target of at least 650 plane orders. Airbus chief operating officer for customers, John Leahy, said Thursday that the target was still attainable. Airbus said it booked 197 firm aircraft orders.

Those deals are worth $26.3 billion. It also secured commitments for another 82 planes, valued at $8.7 billion.

The biggest deal was budget carrier AirAsia Bhd., which bought 100 A321neo valued at more than $12 billion.

The order haul includes two Airbus A330 planes that British Airways-parent International Consolidated Airlines Group SA said it would buy for Aer Lingus.

Boeing said it would secure about 740 orders in 2016. The Chicago-based plane maker said it secured 20 firm orders at Farnborough valued at $3.3 billion at catalog prices, though airlines typically get discounts.

Boeing's largest order announcement was a $4.1 billion deal with China's Donghai Airlines for 25 737 Max 8 single-aisle planes and five 787-9 Dreamliners.

Write to Robert Wall at [e-mail] and Jon Ostrower at [e-mail]

Write to Robert Wall at [e-mail] and Jon Ostrower at [e-mail]

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

July 14, 2016 10:15 ET (14:15 GMT)

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