Airbus flies past Boeing in shipments

World's top planemaker says A380 to remain 'financial liability'

TOULOUSE, France: Airbus SAS kept its rank as the world's top planemaker last year after handing over more aircraft than Boeing Co, while missing its target for the A380 superjumbo, which will stay a "financial liability" for years.

The Toulouse, France-based planemaker delivered 498 jets in 2009 and won 271 plane orders, Chief Executive Officer Tom Enders told journalists in Seville, Spain, yesterday. Chicago-based Boeing, which was leapfrogged by Airbus in 2003, finished with 481 deliveries and 142 orders.