Gustav Humbert in Paris on Tuesday. (AFP)

Paris, Jan. 17 (Reuters): Airbus outsold Boeing Co in 2005 with 1,055 net orders, it said on Tuesday, capping a record year for both planemakers marked by fierce price competition and strong demand from Asian and budget airlines. However, Boeing still claimed the lion's share in the premium-end of the market, and Airbus had to concede defeat to its fierce US rival in the overall value of jets sold.

Airbus almost tripled the 366 net orders it had captured in 2004 and beat Boeing’s tally of 1,002, despite many analysts’ expectations that the European group risked losing its lead for the first time since 2000. At its annual news conference on Tuesday Airbus said it also led Boeing in deliveries for a third consecutive year, with 378 planes leaving its assembly lines compared with 320 in 2004. Boeing had 290 deliveries after a strike trimmed higher expectations.

Deliveries make up the bulk of Airbus revenues, which rose 10 per cent to 22.3 billion euros ($27.1 billion), up from 20.2 billion euros in 2004. Airbus is 80-per cent owned by aerospace group EADS with the rest owned by BAE Systems. The Airbus order backlog rose to 2,177 aircraft worth $220.3 billion from 1,500 at the end of 2004.

Airbus chief executive Gustav Humbert said the return on sales came in at a “ballpark” level of 10 per cent, compared with 9 per cent in 2004. In 2006, he saw the margin staying beyond 10 per cent with continued cost-cutting efforts.