European planemaker Airbus will have a lot to boast about at this week’s Paris Air Show. Last year it received more orders for commercial jets than its arch-rival Boeing for the third time in the past four years. Airbus has extended its lead in the first five months of 2003, grabbing orders for 120 additional planes than the US firm.If all goes according to plan, France-based Airbus will deliver more civil jets to customers than Boeing this year for the first time in over a quarter-century of hard-fought competition.While Airbus, 80 per cent owned by European aerospace and defence firm EADS, has been impressive in winning civil jet market share from Boeing in recent years, analysts say Chicago-based Boeing is beginning to notch up some successes of its own.Over the coming years, analysts expect Boeing to raise its profile as a defence system integrator and boost its presence in the promising market for unmanned aerial vehicles. Since the September 11, 2001, attacks in the US, Boeing shares have fallen 23 per cent while those of EADS, which relies entirely on Airbus for its profits, are down 43 per cent.With its more modern aircraft line-up, analysts expect Airbus to continue to gain commercial jet market share over the coming years, helped by the arrival of the high-profile A380 superjumbo in 2006. But they predict that dollar weakness, a desire by airlines to ensure continued competition in the aircraft market and the threat of US trade retaliation, will prevent Airbus from boosting its share much beyond 55 per cent. In the meantime, EADS has launched a campaign to boost its defence business to lessen its reliance on the volatile civil aerospace market.
