Record global aircraft deliveries in 2017: Boeing ahead of Airbus again, but behind on order backlog

The world's fleet of commercial aircraft grew its numbers by 4% in 2017, to end the year at more than 31,000 for the first time. The number of aircraft on order was more than half of this number, and the order backlog was almost 10 years - the highest at any time in the jet age.

Both of the leading aircraft manufacturers delivered a record number of aircraft in 2017, while Boeing beat its rival Airbus for the sixth successive year. The nine-year winning streak enjoyed by Airbus, which ended in 2011, seems like a long time ago now (although Airbus is closing the gap).

However, although Boeing also received more orders than Airbus in 2017 and had more aircraft in service, the European producer has a larger backlog of outstanding firm orders. Airbus' order book superiority is based on higher numbers of narrowbody orders, whereas Boeing leads on widebody orders.