HispanicBusiness

Shares in European aerospace and defence company EADS jumped Thursday despite its Airbus aircraft offshoot losing its title as the world's top passenger jet maker to US rival Boeing.

For the first time in nine years, Boeing overtook Toulouse-based Airbus in terms of global market share in 2012.

And Airbus chief executive Fabrice Bregler said the problems affecting Boeing's 787 Dreamliner jet are unlikely to help it secure more orders.

"I would not bet on the problems of the competition as helping to ensure our success," Bregler told a press conference marking the release of the group's latest order and delivery data.

Chicago-based Boeing is facing a major corporate crisis after a series of safety concerns have resulted in aviation regulators around the world grounding its wide-bodied 787 aircraft.

But latest figures released by Airbus show the group falling behind Boeing in the race to be the world's biggest passenger aircraft manufacturer.

While Airbus said it had delivered 588 aircraft last year, figures released by Boeing on January 3 showed the US group delivering 601. Airbus's market share slipped to 41 per cent last year.

Shares in EADS, however, jumped by 4.18 per cent to 33.79 euros (45 dollars) following the release of Airbus's latest figures.

Boeing's success was in part due to the launch of the Dreamliner. Airbus's new wide-bodied A350, by contrast, is not due to come into operation until next year.

But Airbus said it aims to boost its deliveries to more than 600 this year, with the group having achieved record production in 2012.

In his comments to reporters, Bregler waved off concerns about the Airbus losing ground to Boeing, saying 2012 had been a "fantastic year" for his company.

Airbus deliveries totalled 534 in 2011. The European aircraft maker said net orders last year came in at 883 (including cancellations).

Announcing its latest results, Airbus also said it planned to raise the price for its passenger aircraft by 3.6 per cent this year.

The increase means that the price of Airbus' jumbo A380 will rise from 389.9 million dollars to 403.9 million dollars.