Airbus says will match Boeing in orders this year

European aircraft maker Airbus will finish the year neck-and-neck with arch-rival Boeing in terms of orders, Airbus' commercial chief John Leahy said on Tuesday.
"I think we'll end up this year even, maybe Airbus even slightly ahead," Leahy told a news conference at the ILA Berlin Air Show.
Airbus has already booked 236 orders since the beginning of the year, Leahy said.
"The market is moving towards bigger and bigger aircraft," he said.
Leahy also hinted at a possible slight slowdown in orders towards the middle of the year, but insisted that would be nothing to worry about.
Airbus and Boeing hold a virtual duopoly in the aeronautical sector and the orders of the two bitter rivals are closely watched, according to AFP.