Airbus ousts Boeing as biggest plane maker

Europe’s Airbus has become the world’s biggest plane maker this year as its US rival Boeing struggles to get its bestselling MAX jets back in the skies.

Airbus — which has trailed Boeing since 2012 — delivered a record 863 aircraft in 2019, Reuters news agency reported, citing airport and tracking sources. Boeing, on the other hand, had delivered just 345 planes by the end of November and is on course for its worst performance in more than a decade, mainly hurt by the grounding of the MAX aircraft.

The US plane maker delivered 806 aircraft in 2018, slightly more than its European rival’s tally of 800.

Boeing and Airbus have been involved in a fierce competition over the past decade to win orders for new jets and occupy the top spot in the jetliner industry. The two are also part of a 15-year-old World Trade Organization dispute, blaming each other of being unfairly subsidized by their governments.

Airbus reigned as the world’ biggest plane maker for a decade till 2012 when Boeing regained the top spot after delivering more jets.

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