Frankfurt/ New York — Airbus delivered significantly fewer new aircraft at the start of the year than in December.
In January, 30 commercial aircraft were handed over to customers, the group announced in Toulouse on Tuesday.
In December, the manufacturer had delivered 93 aircraft in a final spurt. Meanwhile, Airbus collected new orders for 36 aircraft in January, but also had to accept 52 cancellations.
The European manufacturer thus lost out to its US rival Boeing last month.
For the full year 2021, Airbus had delivered 611 aircraft, exceeding its own target of around 600. However, the level of 863 deliveries from the record 2019 year was out of reach.
The group usually sets precise annual targets only when it presents its financial statements, this time scheduled for February 17.
Boeing, meanwhile, continues to suffer problems with the long-haul 787 Dreamliner.
Boeing said on Tuesday it delivered a total of only 32 aircraft in January - the lowest figure in three months.
The majority were the 737 Max medium-haul aircraft, which had been grounded for more than a year and a half after two devastating crashes.
Boeing has long been suffering from the fact that the 787 cannot be handed over to customers because of various production defects. Boeing is still waiting for the green light from the US Federal Aviation Administration.
Special charges due to the model - for example, for compensation payments due to delayed deliveries to airlines - already caused Boeing a loss of $4.2 billion in the final quarter.
Boeing booked orders for 77 jets in January, 55 of them 737 Max jets.
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