Airbus orders trail Boeing

PARIS — Airbus said Monday it won 117 plane orders in the first half of the year, less than a quarter of the orders announced to date by U.S. rival Boeing Co.

Orders fell from 276 in the same period of last year, a sharper drop than the broad full-year decline predicted by both jet makers after record sales in 2005. Boeing’s orders rose to 480 for the year to July 5, after 439 in the first half of 2005.

Airbus still turned out more jets than Boeing in the first half — as it has each year since 2003 — delivering 219 planes, up from 189 in the year-earlier period. Boeing delivered 195 planes, up from 155.

But the latest orders suggest Airbus may lose its lead in coming years. The Toulouse, France-based jet maker is struggling with production delays to its A380 superjumbo, and weak sales of its planned A350 have forced a costly rethink of the midsize jet’s design.