Airbus logs nine monthly jet orders in sign of market gloom

Airbus secured just nine net orders in April and delivered 14 jetliners after airlines desperate for cash put off accepting new planes and clamped down on spending to deal with a crisis that could last several years. The planemaker said Thursday that its order tally for the year through April stood at 299 after cancellations. “I didn’t expect many orders and don’t think Airbus will be anywhere near stated delivery goals during the second quarter,” said George Ferguson, a Bloomberg Intelligence analyst. “I would expect them to slow production so as not to build too much inventory.” Airbus faces a delicate balancing act to offer airlines the order flexibility they need while protecting its own revenue. <br/>