Airbus beat Boeing in aircraft orders in 2014 - source

PARIS (Reuters) - Airbus beat U.S. rival Boeing in aircraft orders in 2014, maintaining the lead in new business despite lagging in deliveries, a person familiar with the matter said on Tuesday.

Boeing said earlier it had booked 1,550 gross orders and 1,432 net orders, which account for cancellations, in 2014.

Airbus is expected to announce next week that it was ahead of Boeing on both gross orders and net orders, the person said, asking not to be identified.

Between January and November, Airbus won 1,328 gross orders. After adjusting for cancellations, it had 1,031 net orders, leaving a gap of some 400 jets to find buyers for in December in order to remain ahead in the transatlantic order race.

Boeing posted an industry record of 723 deliveries in 2014, retaining its title as the world's biggest jet manufacturer. An Airbus source said earlier that it had beaten the previous year's company record of 626 deliveries, but analysts say it is certain Boeing will stay ahead in that category.

An Airbus spokesman declined to comment ahead of an annual news conference on Jan 13.

(Reporting by Tim Hepher; editing by Susan Thomas)