Airbus signs deals for over 360 aircraft during four day Paris Airshow

Airbus has signed deals with airlines and aircraft leasing firms for hundreds of new planes during the four day Paris Air Show at Le Bourget.

The Paris Air Show is the largest air show and aerospace-industry exhibition event in the world and is where huge multi-million-pound deals get struck. 

Airbus says it achieved new business for 363 commercial aircraft, comprising of 149 firm orders and 214 commitments.

An Airbus spokesperson said: 

During the 2019 Paris Air Show, Airbus achieved new business for 363 commercial aircraft, comprising 149 firm orders and 214 commitments.

In addition to these totals, airlines and lessors also converted 352 existing aircraft orders – mostly from the A320 single-aisle aircraft up to the larger A321neo and also to the new A321XLR.

This clearly reflects Airbus successful strategy in offering customers longer-range aircraft in this segment.

Moreover, Le Bourget saw successes for the A220 which won new business for 85 aircraft, and for the widebody A330neo for which Airbus received orders and commitments for 24 new aircraft.”

The star of the show was the new A321XLR – Airbus says it the “world’s most efficient and longest-range single-aisle aircraft” it will enable operators access markets requiring more range and payload.

Overall the A321XLR won orders for 48 aircraft, commitments for a further 79 aircraft and 99 conversions from A321 to XLR, these came from a wide range of operators including Qantas and American Airlines.

In the widebody segment, Virgin Atlantic signed an agreement for 14 A330-900 neos, with options for a further six of the new-generation aircraft.

Cebu Pacific – a low-cost carrier based in the Philippines, signed a Memorandum of Understanding for 16 A330neo.

All the wings – apart from those on the A220 – will be manufactured here in Flintshire.