Latest news with #A350s
CNBC
11 hours ago
- Business
- CNBC
Airbus orders dominate Paris Air Show as Boeing takes backseat — again
Airbus orders and new models have taken center-stage at this year's Paris Air Show, as its U.S. rival Boeing spends yet another major industry event keeping a low profile due to turmoil at the business. Airlines and manufacturers use air shows as an opportunity to make splashy aircraft purchase announcements following months of negotiations, some of which will be wrapped up at the event. Airbus had racked up nearly $21 billion as of Thursday morning, per a Reuters calculation. That included 132 firm orders on Monday, from customers including Saudi leasing firm AviLease, Japan's ANA and Poland's LOT, versus 41 for Boeing and 15 for Brazil's Embraer, according to a tally by aviation advisory IBA. The following two days saw Boeing hold back from announcements completely, while Airbus splashed a 150-aircraft Memorandum of Understanding with VietJet Air focused on its single-aisle 100 A321neos, and orders with EgyptAir and Starlux Airlines for its wide-body A350s. Air Asia chief Tony Fernandes told CNBC on Thursday that he was in discussions at Paris about expanding the firm's existing order for the Airbus XLR — the Toulouse-based planemaker's flagship new long-range, narrowbody aircraft — and expected an announcement within the next month or so. The model, which entered service last year, is set to allow airlines to offer medium- and long-haul routes at lower rates due to reduced fuel costs. Embraer also secured a key win Wednesday with 60 firm orders for the E175, along with further options. Boeing's relatively quiet presence in Paris isn't indicative of a wider demand crisis in the sector. The manufacturer sealed plenty of orders during U.S. President Donald Trump's May trip to the Middle East, including a 210-jet deal with Qatar Airways. Both Boeing and Airbus meanwhile have aircraft backlogs of more than 5,000 and 8,000 aircraft, respectively, figures that have barely budged for nearly a decade as industry supply challenges — exacerbated in the wake of the pandemic — leave airlines struggling to renew their ageing fleets. John Plueger, chief executive officer of Air Lease Corp, told CNBC earlier this week that the backlog meant it was always expected to be a subdued show in Paris compared to those past, including the post-pandemic boom year of 2023. "Both Airbus and Boeing are all sold out to 2031 and '32 anyway. So how many follow-on orders into the '33, '34, '35 time frame are you really going to see? ... But overall, the demand environment remains very robust," Plueger said. However, this does mark yet another year in which Boeing has refrained from the aircraft flypasts or major promotional activities. Starting in 2019 in the wake of the two fatal crashes of its B737-Max model, followed by the pandemic which threw the industry into turmoil, and then with fresh crises delivered via an emergency exit door blowout, allegations of widespread quality control issues, and increasingly-disgruntled customers over delivery delays — Boeing has had a difficult time. Just as 2025 appeared like it may represent a tentative turning point for the company, with CEO Kelly Ortberg due to attend Paris, the first-ever crash of a Boeing Dreamliner in last week's Air India disaster threw that into disarray. Ortberg pulled out of attending the event, and the firm has made few press announcements while it says it is focused on its customers and the investigation into the causes of the crash. "Demand for new aircraft remains unprecedented, matched only by passenger demand for air travel," said Tony Payne, partner at law firm DLA Piper. He added that orders remain strong despite a "sombre and reflective environment" in the wake of the Air India crash, as stakeholders are "well aware of the impact" any relaxation of standards can have. "Orders for new aircraft and engines remains strong but alongside a sombre and reflective environment, where stakeholders are well aware of the impact of any relaxation of standards can have." "Muted" has therefore become the word of the week in terms of commercial aviation, while defense — making up nearly half of the show's content this year — takes on a bigger-than-ever role amid roiling Middle East conflict, the Russia-Ukraine war and an upcoming NATO summit at which higher national security spending will be high on the agenda. Deals in this space have included Thales' contract to build 48 of its new remote-operated artillery systems for the French government. "The consequences, the impact of the accident of Air India" are hanging over Paris, Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury told CNBC on Monday. "Still, the momentum in the industry is very strong," he continued, noting particular demand for widebody aircraft which had more catching up to do following the pandemic than the narrowbody market. Dan Taylor, head of consulting at IBA, told CNBC that the split between Boeing and Airbus this year was "more about context than competition." "Boeing's recent orders in the Middle East, helped by U.S. diplomatic engagement, and its quiet stance post-Air India likely influenced its lower visibility at the Paris Air Show. This isn't a sign of weakening demand, but rather a deliberate pause amid a volatile geopolitical backdrop and possible tariff uncertainties," Taylor said. "Airlines are likely busy reassessing fleet strategies given the latest crisis, but strong profitability, ageing fleets, easing debt levels, and continued GDP and travel demand growth across many regions all point to a sustained long-term appetite for new aircraft."
Arabian Post
17 hours ago
- Business
- Arabian Post
Egyptair Boosts Fleet with Six More A350-900 Jets
Egyptair has confirmed an order for six additional Airbus A350‑900 wide‑body aircraft, increasing its total commitment to 16 for the type. Chairman and Chief Executive Captain Ahmed Adel said the deal will enable the carrier to meet escalating passenger demand and support an ambitious global expansion set for completion over the next five years. The announcement, made at the Paris Air Show on 18 June 2025, follows the airline's earlier acquisition of ten A350‑900s at the Dubai Air Show in 2023. Egyptair's increasing reliance on the A350 underscores its focus on modernising its international fleet with fuel-efficient, long‑range aircraft. A vital component of the airline's strategy is sustainability. Powered by Rolls‑Royce Trent XWB engines, the A350‑900 consumes approximately 25 percent less fuel than older wide‑body models and emits proportionally fewer CO₂ emissions. Its Airspace cabin offers passengers enhanced comfort with wider seats, higher ceilings, and ambient lighting, all of which align with growing expectations for premium long-haul travel. ADVERTISEMENT Adel highlighted the broader impact of this investment, stating it will 'contribute to Egypt's broader efforts to promote more sustainable air transport'. Airbus Executive Vice‑President Sales Benoît de Saint-Exupéry added that the second A350 order is testament to the aircraft's value as a cornerstone in the carrier's growth and decarbonisation plan. The A350‑900, certified to operate with up to 50 percent sustainable aviation fuel and targeted to be 100 percent SAF‑capable by 2030, provides a critical tool for airlines pushing to lower their carbon footprints. Industry analysts note that global demand for newer, more efficient wide‑body aircraft remains strong, with Airbus reducing supply‑chain headwinds by around 40 percent in early 2025. With over 1,390 A350s on order across 60 airlines as of May 2025, the A350 program has become integral to carriers renewing their long‑haul fleets. Cairo International Airport will serve as the operational base for Egyptair's A350 deployment. The aircraft's 9,700‑nautical‑mile range unlocks new nonstop routes to North America and Asia, while improving efficiency on existing services. This expansion mirrors trends among global carriers embracing larger, eco‑efficient aircraft to meet both strategic growth objectives and environmental targets. The airline's current long‑haul fleet includes Airbus A330‑200s, A330‑300s, Boeing 777‑300ERs and 787‑9 Dreamliners. The staged introduction of the new A350s, expected to begin later this year, will gradually transform Egyptair's fleet mix. As the Paris Air Show concludes, Airbus has secured multiple major orders including freighter deals with MNG Airlines and continuing negotiations with other carriers such as AirAsia, signalling a robust market for next‑generation aircraft as airlines seek both growth and sustainability.
Time of India
03-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
'Every commercial Airbus aircraft flying going forward will be partly made in India'
This is a representative image NEW DELHI: For Airbus, IndiGo and Air India are now among the top three airline customers globally with the maximum backlog or aircraft yet to be delivered, according to the aerospace major's EVP (sales, commercial aircraft) Benoît de Saint-Exupéry. It has to deliver 916 and 344 aircraft, the majority of which are narrow body, to IndiGo and AI, respectively, said an official. Malaysia-based AirAsia Group, which once used to run a JV airline in India with the Tatas, is in the second spot at 393 planes. In Delhi for the IATA AGM, Benoît had some good news for airlines who are getting increasingly frustrated with delivery delays (including from Boeing too) due to supply chain issues grappling the industry since 2020 that have affected everything in the aviation ecosystem from planes to engines to seats, components and spares. 'We are seeing the first signs of stability in supply chain. We are now back to the pre-Covid level of producing 60 A320 family of single aisle planes every month and hope to increase this number to 75 by 2027. We have the orders and are ramping up production to step on the delivery, and every commercial (Airbus) aircraft that's flying going forward will be partly made in India,' Benoît said. Asked if the order book for 1,750 planes from IndiGo and AI makes a case for India to get a final assembly line (FAL), Benoît said: 'We will have final assembly lines on the other products (one for H125 helicopters for its civil range and other for C295 military aircraft). On commercial aircraft side, we are looking at expanding our footprint with industry here in India. Sourcing from India has much value than a FAL for commercial aircraft and we are constantly increasing the same from here. Airbus sourcing from India was $500 millon in 2020. We crossed the $1 billion mark in 2023 and last year we were at $1.4 billion. We will reach $ 2 billion before the end of the decade.' Rémi Maillard, president of Airbus India and MD of south Asia region, said: 'India is not only a market for us. It has become a strategic resource and industrial base for Airbus. We are investing in the country. The $500-million that we were procuring from India in 2020 was mostly engineering and digital services. From 2023, it is actually more hardware, flying parts that digital services. Not only we are going at a very fast pace, but we are now manufacturing critical components of aircraft and helicopters in the country. ' India is now the biggest market for Airbus. 'We're very proud to count our two main customers in India — IndiGo and Air India — as part of the biggest backlog in Airbus,' Benoît, who signed the MoU with IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers for converting 30 A350s into a firm order at the IATA AGM, said. IndiGo, the biggest operator of the best-selling A320 family of planes, has ordered 1,400 Airbus aircraft — 1,340 A320 family and 60 wide body A350. Air India has 300 A320 family and 50 A350s on order. About delays in aircraft deliveries due to supply chain issues, Benoît said: 'When it comes to the stability of our setup, yes the industry is late. Now we are seeing the first signs of stability in the supply chain. But you, you never quite rest because, as we all know, the situation can change quite quickly nowadays. The objective is to bring back some resilience in the supply chain. The pandemic has taught us to be much more intrusive, If I may say so, into the supply chain to anticipate the issues and work with our suppliers to find solutions. ' Given the wait for new aircraft, both AI and IndiGo have decided to keep their older A320ceos for much longer than they had originally anticipated. 'There's a trend with airlines in general to keep the asset longer because because they need they need more (capacity),' Benoît said. Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
Time of India
02-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
IndiGo doubles wide-body aircraft order
N Tired of too many ads? go ad free now EW DELHI: IndiGo doubled its wide body aircraft order by confirming the option for 30 wide body Airbus A350s. Now the airline has 60 A350s on firm order and has an option for 40 more. "We have signed the MoU with Airbus for confirming the option for 30 A350s. Their delivery starts in 2027," airline CEO Pieter Elbers said at the IATA AGM on Sunday. "Delivery of initial 30 A350s ordered last year will begin in 2027 and continue till early part of next decade. Delivery of this next batch (of 350) will start after that and continue into the second half of the next decade," Elbers said.
Mint
02-06-2025
- Business
- Mint
IndiGo takes bigger leap, hedges Turkish Airlines partnership; signs MoU with Delta, Air France-KLM and Virgin Atlantic
IndiGo, India's largest carrier by fleet and domestic market share, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Delta Air Lines, Virgin Atlantic, and Air France-KLM to build a partnership to connect traffic to Europe and North America. This comes amid the flak it recently received for its ties with Turkish Airlines and the subsequent approval by the DIrectorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for extension of damp lease of Turkish Airlines planes for only three months. Airline partnerships take months to materialise and years to build and it is unlikely that the recent flak led IndiGo to move in this direction. In fact, the airline has been a partner to Air France, KLM and Virgin Atlantic for the last few years and has been feeding their network out of India from multiple cities in India. The announcement came on a day when IndiGo signed an MoU with Airbus to convert 30 options for A350 to firm orders. The airline had placed an order for 30 A350s with options for 70 more in 2024. IndiGo has been in partnership with Air France-KLM and Virgin Atlantic since 2022, allowing Air France, KLM and Virgin Atlantic passengers to access more than 30 points in India. With announcements to fly to Manchester and Amsterdam, along with plans to fly to London and Copenhagen in due course of time, the airline will offer 30 points within Europe on KLM via Amsterdam, to the United States and Canada from Amsterdam with Delta and KLM and flights to the United States from Manchester on Virgin Atlantic. This opens up new opportunities for passengers from India to fly to Europe and North America via European hubs and possibly mimics the Jet Airways partnership with KLM, when it had a scissor hub at Amsterdam. Delta Air Lines plans to resume services to India with non-stop flights between Atlanta and Delhi in future. This will pave the way for IndiGo to offer passengers more options. IndiGo will start inducting its own A350s starting 2027. The current MoU translating to partnership could lead to IndiGo having a larger presence in Europe with opportunities to transfer passengers at multiple hubs, akin to what Jet Airways used to do in its heyday. At its peak, Jet Airways operated to Amsterdam from Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru with its own flights onwards to North America along with a partnership with KLM. IndiGo has been expanding one step at a time, starting with flights in India's vicinity, followed by longer destinations like Bali, Istanbul and Nairobi. This marks the third phase after which IndiGo may look at non-stops to North America. The new partnership will allow it to serve cities within Europe with non-stop flights and feed from Indian cities as well as South East Asia, and carrying passengers onwards to smaller cities in Europe and to North America. The MoU signed by these airlines creates a framework for deeper collaboration between the carriers which could include network, loyalty, cargo, sales and more on the engineering side, where Air France-KLM have a large presence and also operate the A350s. This could come in handy for IndiGo's A350 induction in 2027. Air India currently dominates the capacity (by Available Seat Kilometres) from India and leads the Star Alliance charge, supported by carriers like equity partner Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa and others. Kingfisher Airlines was on the verge of joining OneWorld before it went down, while Jet Airways had strong partnerships with Skyteam but never formally joined the alliance. With the partnership in Europe, IndiGo will offer passengers connections beyond Europe and help make a mark in the connecting market, along with helping find strengths for the newly launched flights to Europe. For Delta, Air France-KLM and Virgin Atlantic, it supports the transatlantic service and helps with a larger feed from India. With this partnership in place, the question of IndIGo launching operations to Paris becomes when and not if. Slots are often cited as the challenges for airlines in India to expand at airports like Amsterdam or London Heathrow and in this case, the solution could well come from lending or leasing or outright purchase (incase of London Heathrow) from the codeshare parnters and be part of the larger deal which may extend across areas.
