(Reuters) – Europe’s Airbus delivered more than 70 airplanes in June to leave first-half deliveries in touching distance of the 300 mark, according to industry sources and tracking data.

Between January and May, Airbus handed over a total of 220 airplanes, up 38% compared with the same period of 2020 which was heavily affected by coronavirus lockdowns from late March.

June’s performance puts the first-half total comfortably above 290 and marks one of the strongest monthly totals since the start of the pandemic, behind a peak of 89 in December 2020, the sources said.

Airbus declined to comment ahead of the publication of first-half deliveries on Thursday.

SOURCE REUTERS