Airbus logged orders for 40 aircraft in February – with the number split equally between the double-deck A380 and the single-aisle A320 Family; while delivering 38 jetliners during the month to 25 customers from its A320 Family, as well as the widebody A330 and A350 XWB product lines – including the first A350-1000 version.

Headlining the new business was Emirates’ firm order for 20 A380s, reaffirming this United Arab Emirates-based carrier’s commitment to the jetliner programme and underscoring its role as the aircraft’s largest customer. Deliveries of these latest-ordered A380s for Emirates will start as early as 2020, securing a sustainable production rate of six aircraft annually during the next 10 years.

The other transaction in February involved 20 A320neo jetliners for an unidentified customer.

Taking bookings and cancellations into account, net orders logged by Airbus during the initial two months of 2018 totalled 43 aircraft.

Among the February deliveries was Airbus’ handover of the initial extended-fuselage A350-1000 version, received by Qatar Airways. Seven A350-900s were provided to customers as well during the month, along with 29 A320 Family aircraft. Also included in the February deliveries was an A330-200 for conversion by Airbus into the MRTT (Multi-Role Tanker Transport) configuration for a military operator.

Based on the month’s orders and deliveries activity, Airbus’ overall backlog of jetliners remaining to be delivered as of February 28 was 7,243 aircraft, composed of 6,126 from the A320 Family, along with 308 A330s, 700 A350s and 109 A380s.