The 2014 Farnborough Airshow has come and gone with both Airbus and Boeing making landmark announcements and deals that further strengthen their positions as the world’s two largest passenger aircraft manufacturers.
In particular, it turned out to be the best Farnborough show yet for Airbus: The French manufacturer won US$75.3 billion worth of business for a total of 496 aircraft.
A330neo with AirAsia X livery
Airbus kicked off the show with the launch announcement of the A330neo (see here), which has now racked up an impressive 121 orders – 50 of which were made by AirAsia X in a deal worth US$13.8 billion (see here). Other companies who have put pen to paper include lessors Air Lease Corporation, Avolon and CIT.
However, it was for the single-aisle sector that Airbus received the bulk of its orders. The A320 family garnered 363 commitments worth US$39 billion. The manufacturer also celebrated its 3,000 A320neo sale at the event, when SMBC Aviation Capital ordered 110 A320neo aircraft.
B777X cabin interior
For Boeing it was a more subdued affair. The American manufacturer recorded orders and commitments for 201 of its aircraft only.
Still, the company managed to make headlines when Qatar Airways expressed its confidence for the B777X program by placing a firm order for 50 of the widebody aircraft, in addition to purchase rights for a further 50 (see here).
Another noteworthy Boeing order came from Hainan Airlines which committed to purchasing 50 B737 MAX 8 (see here), valued at US$5.1 billion at list prices. In total, Boeing received orders from 10 companies worth US$40.2 billion in revenue at list prices.
For more information, visit airbus.com and boeing.com
Clement Huang
