Airbus Beats Boeing in First-Half Orders

European consortium Airbus Industrie surged past Boeing Co. in airplane sales in this year’s first half, winning orders for 234 jetliners, compared with 120 for Boeing. The order figures for 1998’s first half were 287 planes for Airbus and 282 for Boeing. With the latest orders, Airbus edges closer to ending Boeing’s total dominance of the world’s jet fleet. The world market for airplanes remains in a downturn, however, as recession-bound nations cancel orders and airlines everywhere watch their budgets. In the last 18 months, Airbus has snatched some of Boeing’s customers, defections analysts attribute partly to frustration over late deliveries by Boeing as it struggled with production bottlenecks. Boeing’s orders do not include two announced last month: 50 737s from International Lease Finance Corp. and 10 777s from Singapore Airlines Ltd. Boeing said it will not record them as firm until the final contracts are signed. Boeing maintains that orders are less important than actual deliveries in measuring market share. Boeing shares eased 19 cents to close at $45.25 on the NYSE; Airbus Industrie is not publicly traded.