Airbus: Saudi Arabian airlines lead the charge as £16bn of jets are ordered on first day of Paris Airshow

Airbus order books filled up with deals for a whopping £16bn worth of new jets on the opening morning of this years International Paris Air Show 
The Biennial event, which is over a hundred years old, is the largest and longest-running aerospace trade show in the world.

Airbus and Boeing will go head to head as they look to add to already bulging order books.

First in a line of announcments for Airbus this morning was news that Saudi Arabian Airlines will become the launch customer for the new A330-300 Regional aircraft, the carrier will add 20 A330-300 Regional jets plaus 30 A320ceo planes to its fleet, Airbus said in a deal worth around £5.2bn.

Passenger demand in Saudi Arabia is experiencing high growth both on domestic and regional routes and the new A330-300 ‘Regional’ is designed for area’s with large populations and fast growing, concentrated air traffic.

Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser Director General Saudi Arabian Airlines, said:

“The A330-300 Regional’s unique flexibility, high capacity and operational capabilities will enable us to expand our domestic and regional network and better absorb growing passenger traffic. Introducing the A330-300 Regional in our current fleet is an ideal choice and follows our previous commitment to a family of aircraft which already successfully helped us achieve our ambitions,”

Indonesia flag carrier Garuda has signed a ‘Letter of Intent’ with Airbus for the purchase of 30 A350 XWB aircraft worth around £6bn

Garuda Indonesia plans to use the A350 XWB to develop its medium and long haul network, with the aircraft offering the ability to fly non-stop from Jakarta or Bali to Europe.

The A350 XWB has been especially successful in the Asia-Pacific region, where airlines have ordered a total of 244 aircraft, representing almost a third of the 780 orders recorded so far worldwide.

Arif Wibowo, CEO of Garuda Indonesia

“Following our success in revitalising our regional operation in Asia and the Pacific, the development of our long haul network will be a priority in the coming years. With its reduced fuel consumption, range capability and extra wide cabin, the A350 XWB will be one of the options for us to reposition ourselves as a leading premium carrier in the competitive long haul market out of Asia.”

Meanwhile, in another multi billion pound deal GE Capital Aviation placed a firm order 60 A320neo aircraft worth at list price £4.1bn, the deal was jointly announced today by Norman C.T. Liu, President and CEO of GECAS and John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer, Customers.

This new order brings the total number of A320 Family aircraft ordered by GE to 465, including 120 A320neo aircraft.

“The A320neo Family is the ideal solution for our customers who are seeking a product which offers them both attractive operating economics and reliable technology,” said Norman C.T. Liu, President and CEO of GECAS. “We see this fuel-efficient aircraft as a mainstay in our single-aisle portfolio for the years to come.”

Los Angeles-based Air Lease Corp added to it’s portfolio by placing a firm order with Airbus for one A350-900, one A321ceo and three A320ceo total value arounf £500m

The first morning of the Paris Airshow has seen orders and letters of interest totalling £16bn at list price, a possible 145 jets with 280 wings made in Broughton.

Another huge boost for the already busy Deeside wing making factory is that Airbus has increased its 20-year forecast for jet demand by nearly 4 percent prospects for A380, driven by growth in emerging Asia-Pacific and China markets.

Airbus sees demand for 32,585 new planes worth £3.1 trillion, up from a previous forecast in September for 31,358 planes worth £2.9 trillion, it said at the Paris Airshow.

The company also said it was considering making the A380 superjumbo even bigger.

“We are discussing a little stretch with some of the airlines,” Airbus Chief Operating Officer Customers John Leahy

The manufacturer is currently talking to around “half a dozen potential customers”