Boeing tops Airbus in 2013 deliveries

Boeing delivered 22 more plans in 2013 than chief rival Airbus, which tallied record deliveries and orders last year.

The European aerospace conglomerate said Monday it delivered 626 planes last year, a company record but still fewer than U.S. rival Boeing Co.’s 648 deliveries, the Associated Press reports.

The companies, which split the global market for commercial planes, enjoyed a banner year as airlines gobbled up their offerings to renew or build their fleets, cut fuel costs and plan for continued growth in travel.

Airbus’ orders last year rose to 1,619, more than twice its expectations, leading some executives to caution against any precise predictions about how many they’ll tally this year. The order backlog — jets it plans to deliver in coming years — sits at a record 5,559.

“The market was extremely bullish,” said Airbus’ top executive Fabrice Bregier, meeting with journalists along with commercial director John Leahy. “More bullish than John or me would have thought, and probably Boeing.”