Airbus to be world's largest planemaker for second year

Airbus is set to beat Boeing to be the world’s largest jet maker for the second year in a row, ending 2020 by resuming its A380 superjumbo to Emirates. However, its final deliveries are likely to have dropped 35% from 2019 due to the pandemic.

No flights have been scheduled over the Christmas break of special Beluga transport planes, which carry aircraft sections under an exemption from most coronavirus travel restrictions.

Industry sources expect Airbus to deliver 550-560 planes in 2020 after reaching more than 520 this week, with nine days of the year still to go.
But they cautioned deliveries are subject to an unusual number of variables, and schedules are not set in stone. Airbus is unlikely to repeat a record surge of more than 100 deliveries in December last year.

An Airbus spokesman declined to comment on specifics but said Airbus continued to operate normally.