Paris Air Show: Second Day Soars with Boeing Orders and Milestone Deals
Record Orders and Milestone Deals Steal the Spotlight at the 2023 Paris Air Show, Signaling Industry's Strong Recovery and Confidence in the Post-Pandemic Era
Photo: Air India celebrates historic order with Boeing. Courtesy of Boeing.
As the 2023 Paris Air Show entered its second day, the atmosphere was understandably more subdued following IndiGo’s groundbreaking order for 500 Airbus A320 Family Aircraft. However, today’s deals continue to underscore the remarkable recovery of the aviation industry post-pandemic, as well as the unwavering confidence of airlines in the years to come.
Watch the 737-10 and the 777-9 in action as they soared over the #ParisAirShow for thousands of spectators below. 🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/76Ra7s31Es
— Boeing Airplanes (@BoeingAirplanes) June 19, 2023
China Airlines Buys Dreamliners
Following Airbus’s triumphant first day, it was now Boeing’s turn to bask in the limelight. Taiwanese carrier China Airlines took center stage, announcing a firm order for eight Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners to enhance flexibility within its extensive regional route network.
This order, previously listed as unidentified on Boeing’s website, followed the airline’s initial purchase of 16 787-9s last year, with six swapped to the larger 787-10 series.
Stan Deal, President and CEO Boeing Commercial Airplanes, and Su-Chien Hsieh, Chairman of China Airlines, signing today’s order for eight 787-9 Dreamliners at the 2023 Paris Air Show. (Photo: Boeing)
Anticipated to arrive in Taipei between 2025 and 2028, these Dreamliners will replace China Airlines’ aging Airbus A330 fleet, endowing the carrier with one of the youngest and most efficient widebody fleets in Asia.
Boeing’s statement highlighted that the 787 Family is achieving its highest sales rate in the program’s history, with 250 aircraft ordered or committed to over the past six months.
In another significant deal, Boeing secured an order from global lessor Avolon for 40 737 MAX 8s. Stan Deal, Boeing’s President and CEO, expressed his enthusiasm for the collaboration, citing Avolon’s longstanding relationship with the 737 MAX program, which saw the lessor taking delivery of the 1,000th 737 MAX last year. This order further solidifies their partnership as Avolon expands its Boeing aircraft portfolio.
Qantas Adds More Airbus A220-300s
Not to be outdone, Airbus made strategic moves at the airshow. Qantas Group finalized an additional order for nine A220-300s, effectively increasing its backlog for this single-aisle aircraft type to 29.
Photo: Qantas, Airbus A220-300. Courtesy of Airbus.
The A220 was initially selected as part of Qantas’ extensive fleet replacement program announced in May 2022, including orders for the A321XLR and A350-1000.
Following the Australian carrier’s intention to order more A220s earlier this year, the first delivery is slated for the end of 2023. These A220s will predominantly serve Qantas’ domestic route network, catering to short hops and longer flights of up to five hours and beyond.
Philippine Airlines Firms A350-1000
Building on a memorandum of understanding signed in May, Airbus also secured a firm order for nine A350-1000s from Philippine Airlines. The carrier revealed that these planes would be deployed on trans-polar routes to the USA and Canada, offering passengers a three-class configuration encompassing Business, Premium Economy, and Economy cabins, totaling 380 seats.
Photo: Philippine Airlines, Airbus A350-1000. Courtesy of Airbus.
Philippine Airlines clarified that the new A350s would not replace older aircraft but instead expand their fleet, with potential replacement plans for their ten A330-300s under consideration in the next three to four years.
Regional Planes For Sale, Too
Embraer made a strong impression during its presence at the airshow, unveiling multiple deals on the second day. The Brazilian aircraft manufacturer announced contracts with Azorra, American Airlines (Envoy Air), and Binter, totaling 32 aircraft, including 10 of the newest variant, the E195-E2, for Porter Airlines.
Photo: Envoy Air, Embraer E175. Courtesy of Embraer.
In a deal worth USD 1.2 billion, Azorra, a Florida-based lessor, acquired fifteen E195-E2s, with recipients such as Scoot, Taag Angola, and Royal Jordanian indicated as the future operators.
Binter Canarias, already operating five E195-E2s, ordered an additional six E2s, while American Airlines’ regional subsidiary, Envoy Air, will soon receive seven E175s.
Air India Confirms Historic Order
Beyond being a bustling marketplace, the Paris Air Show is the premier global stage for commercial aviation. In this spirit, Air India—through its owner Tata Group—formalized an agreement today for 470 Airbus and Boeing aircraft, as initially announced in February.
This order, the second-largest single order in commercial aviation history, includes 34 A350-1000s, six A350-900s, 70 A321neos, and 140 A320neos from Airbus, alongside 10 Boeing 777Xs, 20 787-9s, and 140 737 MAXs. Remarkably, the total value of this deal exceeds IndiGo’s historic order with Airbus on Monday by USD 15 billion, amounting to a staggering USD 70 billion at list prices.
The bustling atmosphere and flurry of orders and agreements during the second day of the 2023 Paris Air Show demonstrates the industry’s remarkable recovery from the pandemic.
These significant deals highlight airlines’ enduring confidence and pave the way for the future of commercial aviation, promising enhanced efficiency, expanded route networks, and passenger comfort for years to come.
