Global major aerospace groups Airbus and Boeing have both released their results for the first nine months of this year. They also reported on the numbers of commercial aircraft that they had delivered over the same period.

Airbus reported consolidated revenues for the period of €35.2-billion, while earnings before interest and taxes (Ebit), adjusted, came to €3.369-billion. During the same period last year, consolidated revenues had been €30.2-billion, while Ebit adjusted had been €-125-million. Revenues for the first three quarters of this year were thus 17% up, year-on-year. Net income for the same period was €2.635-billion, in sharp comparison to a net loss of €-2.686-billion during the first nine months of last year.

“The nine-month results reflect a strong performance across the company as well as our efforts on cost containment and competitiveness,” affirmed Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury. “As the global recovery continues, we are closely monitoring potential risks to our industry. We are focused on securing the A320 family ramp-up and striving to ensure the right industrial and supply chain capabilities are in place. ... We are strengthening the balance sheet to secure investment for our long-term ambitions.”

Boeing recorded revenues totalling $47.493-billion during the first nine months of this year, compared with $42.854-billion in the same period last year. This represented an 11% increase, year-on-year. Calculated using Generally Accepted Accountancy Principles, the group accrued earnings from operations of $1.269-billion, as against losses from operations of $-4.718-billion during the same period last year. For the first three quarters of this year Boeing registered a net loss of $-0.126-billion, a huge improvement on the net loss of $-4.718-billion during the equivalent period in 2020.

“We are driving stability across our operations, investing in our future and positioning our teams to deliver for our customers as the market recovers,” stated Boeing president and CEO David Calhoun. “Commercial market demand continues to gain traction with broad-based vaccine distribution and border protocols beginning to open. Going forward, supply chain capacity and global trade will be key drivers of our industry and the broader economy’s recovery. Our portfolio across commercial, defence, space and services is well positioned, and we’re focused on improving performance, while advancing technologies and digital manufacturing capabilities to drive our next generation of products and a sustainable future.”

In terms of deliveries, Airbus handed 424 commercial aircraft (airliners) over to customers during the first three quarters of this year. These comprised (from the smallest types to largest) 34 A220s, 341 A320 family jets, 11 A330s, 36 A350s and two A380s. During the same period last year, the company had delivered 341 commercial aircraft. Boeing’s commercial aircraft deliveries over this year’s first nine months came to 241, a 146% increase over the 98 delivered during the same period in 2020. The group did not provide a breakdown of how many aircraft of each type it had delivered during this period this year, but stated, for example, that since November 2020 it had delivered more than 195 737 MAXs and the 787 was currently being produced at a rate of about two a month.