Airbus is on course to end 2019 with a rise in its order backlog after netting more sales than deliveries across its major products, a senior executive said on Wednesday, thanks partly to strong demand in Asia.
Airbus is expected to beat arch-rival Boeing in orders and, unusually, in deliveries this year as the Boeing 737 Max remains grounded with its production now also halted.
The launch of a long-range new version of the mainstay Airbus A321 medium-range jet, and a wave of business in Asia, has led to a higher-than-expected haul for Europe's plane-maker.