Airbus Outpaces Boeing in Paris Air Show Orders Amid Somber Backdrop
Airbus secured a fresh wave of aircraft deals on Wednesday, lifting its total sales to $21 billion at this year’s relatively muted Paris Air Show. In contrast, Boeing chose to withhold any new order announcements, following last week’s fatal crash involving an Air India 787.
A major boost for Airbus came as Taiwan’s Starlux Airlines finalized an order for 10 long-haul jets. The move helped offset disappointment after one of Airbus’s biggest customers, AirAsia, held off on closing a widely anticipated major order.
In total, Airbus recorded 148 firm orders worth $14.2 billion—this figure includes six deals previously revealed—and an additional 102 provisional commitments valued at $6.7 billion, based on UK-based Cirium Ascend’s estimated delivery prices.
Industry expectations had been tempered going into the event, especially after Boeing had recently landed large deals during U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to the Middle East. But following the Air India crash, Boeing scaled back its participation to focus on the ongoing investigation. Meanwhile, Airbus maintained a steady presence, expressing condolences for the crash victims ahead of each announcement and signaling optimism by hinting at potential dividend increases.
“This air show is marked by a tragedy that has touched us all,” said Christian Scherer, Airbus’s CEO of commercial aircraft, in an interview with Reuters.
Despite the subdued mood, speculation swirled that Airbus could close a significant deal with AirAsia. Tony Fernandes, CEO of AirAsia’s parent company Capital A Group, confirmed ongoing discussions to purchase 50 to 70 A321XLR aircraft, and 100 A220s or rival E2 regional jets from Brazil’s Embraer. However, he noted that finalizing a deal would likely come after the airline’s restructuring efforts.
“We’re still deep in discussions with Airbus and others… I think something will come together soon, within the next one to three months,” Fernandes said.
Sources familiar with the talks said Airbus had made a strong offer to promote the A220 and potentially introduce a new 160-seat variant, though financing challenges stalled progress. Talks are expected to resume around July.
Other Notable Developments:
- Embraer announced an order from SkyWest Airlines for 60 E175 regional jets, along with purchase rights for 50 more.
- Airbus revealed two A350 freighter orders from MNG Airlines and confirmed EgyptAir as the previously unidentified buyer of six A350-900s.
- Despite supply chain bottlenecks—especially with engines—Airbus reported a 40% drop in component-related disruptions at its production lines since early 2025.
“This has been a very different air show compared to past editions, which were usually dominated by major commercial deals,” noted Sash Tusa, an analyst at Agency Partners. He highlighted how Airbus emphasized aircraft like the A220, which still have sales runway, rather than its already sold-out A320neo models.
In a notable defense development, U.S. drone manufacturer Anduril partnered with Germany’s Rheinmetall to co-develop aerial drones for European defense markets—signaling growing transatlantic cooperation in military tech.
Overall, while the Paris Air Show lacked its usual buzz, Airbus’s steady deal-making contrasted sharply with Boeing’s subdued approach, underscoring divergent strategies amid an emotionally charged aviation landscape.
