July 12 (Bloomberg) -- Boeing Co., the world's second- largest maker of commercial planes, says delivery delays at Airbus SAS are unlikely to increase sales immediately because its factories already are booked for the next several years.

``There is no advantage for us here because we can only make so many planes,'' Randy Baseler, Chicago-based Boeing's chief of marketing, said in an interview.

Boeing has 480 orders in 2006 after courting low-cost and international airlines with more fuel-efficient jets, such as the 787 Dreamliner. Delays in Airbus's A380 escalated problems at the largest jet maker, which received just 117 orders in the first half. Airbus's parent, European Aeronautic, Defence & Space Co., ousted two executives this month because of the missteps.

Boeing is likely to expand its lead in orders at next week's Farnborough International Airshow and may claim the top spot in bookings in 2006 for the first time in six years. Baseler will update the jet maker's 20-year industrywide delivery forecast today in London.

Baseler said Boeing's production may be hindered if parts manufacturers that supply both companies end up being hurt by production delays at Airbus.

``The downward spirals bring everybody down,'' he said.

Price Wins

Chief Executive Officer James McNerney is pushing engineers to produce airliners faster and cheaper amid industrywide demand for a record 2,057 large commercial jets in 2005. Airbus, based in Toulouse, France, passed Boeing in orders in 2001 and has won in deliveries since 2003.

``Boeing taking the lead is certainly a possibility given Boeing's productivity improvements, Airbus's delayed orders and the very real possibility of having deliveries canceled,'' said Matthew Spahn, an analyst at TCW Group in New York, which owns Boeing and Airbus shares. ``But the ultimate deciding factor of market share is price. More often than not the lowest price wins.''

Airbus spokesman Clay McConnell said the company doesn't expect to lead every year. ``We have outsold our competition for the past five years,'' he said. ``In the long run, we expect it to be a 50-50 horse race, and you can't win every year with that in mind.''

Boeing's 787 has a list price as low as $138 million, while Airbus's competing A350 lists for at least $170 million. Jet makers typically offer discounts of as much 30 percent.

Boeing also has narrowed the delivery gap, shipping 195 planes in the first six months of 2006 compared with 219 for Airbus. Airplane makers record profit when jets are delivered.

The shares of Boeing have risen 16 percent this year, outpacing the 1.9 percent gain in the Standard & Poor's 500 Index. They rose $1.28 to $81.63 yesterday in New York Stock Exchange composite trading. EADS has lost a third of its value this year.

Farnborough

Airbus has won orders for only 100 A350s, compared with 360 orders for Boeing's 787, a carbon-fiber aircraft that is lighter than normal aluminum planes. Boeing said it will decide whether to expand production of the 787 by mid-summer, and program manager Michael Bair is scheduled to give an update on the aircraft on July 18 in Farnborough, 30 miles outside London.

The company may unveil a stretched, 310-passenger version of the new plane, Credit Suisse First Boston analyst Steve East wrote in a June 28 report.

``Customers will take more of these planes if Boeing makes them, but Boeing is being realistic about staying on schedule with the 787,'' said Matt Collins, an analyst at Edward Jones & Co. who has a ``sell'' rating on Boeing shares. ``They have been reluctant to cave to that ramp-up pressure. They could take a good lesson from what's happened with Airbus and the A380.''

Reversal

Boeing is recovered from a federal investigation and the resignation of Phil Condit as CEO in the past two years, analysts say. It had lagged behind Airbus in orders and had yet to sell one of its 787 Dreamliners at the last Farnborough show in 2004.

Since then, the fuel-efficient 787 has outsold the A350. EADS ousted Co-Chief Executive Noel Forgeard and Airbus CEO Gustav Humbert after the A380 was delayed for another six months and French authorities opened an investigation into stock sales made by Forgeard and members of his family.

The reversal of fortune ``illustrates how fast things can change in this industry and how much is riding on the management decisions at these companies,'' said Craig Fraser, an aerospace debt analyst at Fitch Ratings Co. in New York.

To contact the reporter on this story: Andrea Rothman in Toulouse, France at aerothman@bloomberg.net; James Gunsalus in New York at jgunsalus@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: July 11, 2006 19:01 EDT