Boeing's H1 deliveries up 7%, orders surge past Airbus

Boeing’s H1 aircraft deliveries rose more than 7%, lifted by demand for its bestselling 737 jetliners as airlines seek more fuel-efficient planes, and orders were more than double those of rival Airbus. The announcement Tuesday caps a successful half year for the world’s largest planemaker and comes a week ahead of the Farnborough Airshow in Britain, where airlines typically place orders. Boeing had 460 net aircraft orders in H1 2018, compared with Airbus’s 206, rebounding after losing that race to Airbus last year. Deliveries are financially important to planemakers because that’s when airlines pay over most of the money, while orders give a better glimpse of planemakers’ prospects. Boeing said its in-house financing arm, Boeing Capital Corp, acquired 75 single-aisle 737s for an unnamed buyer, indicating Boeing had to help arrange financing to close the deal. Such deals do not typically stay on Boeing’s balance sheet but would be sold on to other lessors. <br/>