Airbus lags Boeing on January-September orders, deliveries

PARIS (Reuters) - Airbus sold 56 aircraft and delivered 55 in September to remain in second place behind U.S. rival Boeing in the first nine months of the year, monthly data published by the firm on Friday showed.

September deliveries included 13 of its upgraded A320neo family, hit recently by delays in receiving engines from U.S. supplier Pratt & Whitney. But tarmac at its factories remains choked with undelivered planes waiting for their engines.

Over the first nine months, Airbus delivered 89 of the same fuel-saving model, leaving it with more than 100 to deliver in the final quarter to reach an annual target of 200.

Over the same period, it also delivered 50 A350 aircraft. Planemaking chief Fabrice Bregier indicated last month that it planned to deliver around 75 A350s for the year as a whole.

Between January and September, Airbus sold 319 aircraft, or 271 after cancellations and conversions, and delivered 454. It has a published target of 700 deliveries in 2017, but has told analysts verbally it will deliver 720.

Boeing took orders for 565 aircraft in the first nine months, or 498 after cancellations. It delivered a nine-month total of 554 aircraft after a busy third quarter.

September's orders at Airbus included two A330-900neo jets to an undisclosed buyer.

Airbus is preparing the first flight of the upgraded version of its widely sold A330 jet within the next couple of weeks.

(Reporting by Tim Hepher; Editing by Catherine Evans)