Airbus: Orders & deliveries in July 2013
06-Aug-2013 A busy month for orders and deliveries brought Airbus' backlog to new industry record once again, with 174 jetliner bookings in July and 52 aircraft provided to international customers. It included the addition of two more airlines for A320 Family NEO (new engine option) versions, while another carrier joined the list of A350 XWB customers.
New business during the month was led by easyJet's purchase confirmation for 135 A320 Family aircraft, composed of 100 A320neo and 35 A320ceo (current engine option) jetliners. easyJet already is the largest A320 Family customer and operator in Europe, operating one of region's most extensive route networks that also positions it as the United Kingdom's largest airline. It becomes a new customer for the NEO.
Orders for Airbus' single-aisle product line in July also included two bookings from key leasing company customers: 15 A321ceo aircraft from International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC); and CIT's contract for five A321ceo and three A319ceo.
Also added to the order book were three A320neo and three A320ceo jetliners for Syphax Airlines, a new Tunisian airline that becomes the first African-based carrier ordering the NEO; and Nepal Airlines Corporation's firm booking for two A320ceo aircraft equipped with Sharklet fuel-saving wingtip devices. Completing the July single-aisle sales was an ACJ320 corporate jet order from an unnamed customer.
The widebody product line registered two bookings in July: SriLankan Airlines' agreement for four A350-900s, becoming a new A350 XWB customer; and three A330-300s for Turkish Airlines, continuing the sales success for this popular twin-engine jetliner.
With the latest business transactions, and taking cancellations into account, Airbus has registered a total of 892 net orders in the first seven months of 2013.
July's deliveries totaled 52 aircraft, involving 42 A320 Family jetliners 9 A330s and one A380. Among them were the first of 12 A380s for British Airways, making it the 10th carrier to receive the 21st century flagship jetliner; American Airlines' initial Airbus single-aisle aircraft, which also was the first A319 delivered with Sharklets; and an A330-300 to Cathay Pacific, marking the 1,000th A330-series jetliner provided to the global base of operators and customers.
The month's activity brings total Airbus deliveries in 2013 to 347, with these aircraft provided to 79 customers during the January-July timeframe.
As a result of the July orders and deliveries, Airbus once again surpassed the industry backlog record, with 5,227 aircraft to be delivered as of July 31.