Airbus sees slower sales after show orders rush

By James Regan and Dan Lalor

FARNBOROUGH (Reuters) - Plane orders worth more than $40 billion (20 billion pounds) announced this week at the world's biggest air show may mark the start of a far slower end of year for Airbus, the planemaker's top salesman said on Thursday.

"There's definitely more softness in the second half than in the first," Airbus sales chief John Leahy told reporters at the Farnborough Airshow near London.

Airbus clinched firm orders for 247 aircraft at the event this week, taking its 2008 net orders for the year to 730.

Leahy said the company was aiming at 850 for the full year.

While Chinese and Gulf-based airlines are busy buying planes for growth, soaring oil prices and slowing economies have hurt aircraft demand from Europe and the United States.

Leahy said companies that lease aircraft to airlines were still buying, too.

"I am getting a lot of interest from the leasing companies," he said.

"I am not in discussions with anyone in the U.S. about a big order. You have got to have consolidation first."