Whilst the Dubai Airshow was relatively quiet for Airbus, they did manage to underline some additional confidence into the A350 program. Let’s take a look into this.
The European planemaker may have had a quiet week, but within this, they also seem to have some big orders planned post-airshow, as we will also examine in this piece.
Without further ado, let’s get into it…
Looking At Airbus’ Orders at the Dubai Airshow…
Airbus secured a total of 86 orders at the Dubai Airshow, with this being broken down into the following:
- 50 A220-300s (30 firm & 20 options) for airBaltic.
- 10 A350-900s for EGYPTAIR.
- 11 A350-900s for Ethiopian Airlines.
- 15 A350-900s for Emirates.
Whilst it may not seem like a lot on the orders front, the A350 side of the equation offers strong confidence in the program, especially on delivery slots through to 2030.
This is why the European planemaker has taken the decision to increase the production rate on the aircraft to 10 per month by 2026.
No Turkish Airlines Order?
It could be argued that the Dubai Airshow for Airbus was somewhat hindered due to the mega blockbuster Turkish Airlines order not being announced in DWC.
Airbus executives were in Istanbul last weekend negotiating with the carrier, before coming to an agreement in principle. This order was broken down into:
- 75 Airbus A350-900
- 15 Airbus A350-1000
- 5 Airbus freighter A350F
- 250 Airbus A321 NEO
- Option for 10 additional Airbus A350-900s.
It is understood that the order still needs approval by the Board of Directors at Turkish Airlines before a public announcement can be made by Airbus, which will be away from the Dubai Airshow.
Opportunity for a SAUDIA Order?
During the Dubai Airshow, Airbus & SAUDIA were holding talks for a narrowbody, following a similar boat to Riyadh Air but with Boeing.
Bloomberg reports that this could be as many as 150 aircraft, and if ordered, would be the largest purchase made by the airline in it’s history.
It is understood the airline is considering multiple proposals, which could indicate some interest with Boeing as well.
It will be interesting to see where this goes, especially post-Dubai Airshow, of which this could most likely be announced alongside the proposed Riyadh Air order.
Overall: Still A Lot of Potential for Airbus Post-Dubai Airshow…
Overall, while things have been quiet for Airbus at the Dubai Airshow, there is still a lot of potential to finish the year on a good high.
In previous analysis by AviationSource, you only have to look at the European planemaker’s performance over the course of this year to understand that it isn’t all doom and gloom.
They did secure 850 orders in a single week at the Paris Air Show, as well as plenty more orders throughout the year, so it isn’t all bad.
All eyes will be on the European planemaker to see what the rest of 2023 will look like for them moving forward.
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