President and CEO Noël Forgeard announced that Airbus had successfully delivered 305 aircraft in 2003 - exceeding its objective for the past year and leading to a turnover of 19.3 billion euros.

"For the first time in its history, Airbus is now the unquestionable number one in its business," stated Noël Forgeard.

At year-end, Airbus achieved 284 new firm orders from 24 customers. These orders, valued at US$32.8 billion at catalogue prices, give Airbus a 54 per cent market share in the 100-plus-seat aircraft category. As a result, Airbus is able to maintain a high delivery backlog of 1,454 aircraft, which represents up to five years of production.

The year 2003, a year marked by war, the SARS virus and a depressed economy, was very difficult for Airbus. "For the entire industry, 2003 was a sort of 'annus horribilis'," said Mr. Forgeard. "But we were able to face these hard times well prepared so that, for the first time in our history, we begin the new year as the undisputed number one."

Mr. Forgeard also stressed that, while Airbus has the potential to lead the commercial aviation market for years to come, it must continue to protect itself
against external world and economic conditions by focusing on its cost saving programmes. This will allow the company to mitigate fluctuations in exchange rates, to control costs and to drive improvements in quality standards, delivery timescales and customer satisfaction levels.

Airbus is very well positioned to benefit fully from the market recovery when it starts to materialise and Noël Forgeard expects deliveries to be close to 300 aircraft in 2004.

"Airbus is getting ready for the upturn in the second half of this decade, which will see the entry into service of the A380 and later that of the A400M," he concluded