Airbus strengthens leadership at Paris Air Show, while Boeing reduces activity amid internal problems

Airbus has once again taken center stage at the Paris Air Show, unveiling new models and securing large orders, while Boeing remains in the shadows amid a prolonged crisis. According to Reuters, by Thursday morning, the total volume of Airbus orders reached almost $21 billion. The company has signed 132 firm contracts with clients such as Saudi AviLease, Japanese ANA and Polish LOT. For comparison: Boeing provided 41 orders, Embraer — 15.

Airbus continued to expand its order book in the following days. A memorandum was signed with VietJet Air for 150 A321neo aircraft and contracts were signed with EgyptAir and Starlux Airlines for the supply of A350 wide-body airliners. Air Asia management is in talks to expand the order for the Airbus XLR, a new long-range aircraft that, thanks to fuel economy, allows airlines to open medium - and long-haul routes at a lower cost.

Embraer also recorded significant success by placing an order for 60 E175 aircraft with an option to extend the contract further.

At the same time, Boeing once again refrained from major announcements and demonstration flights. The company continues to remain out of the spotlight due to the consequences of a series of crises, including the B737 Max crash, product quality problems and delivery deadlines. The recent Dreamliner crash at Air India forced Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg to cancel his participation in the air show. The company focused on investigating the incident and working with customers.

Experts note that the low activity of Boeing is not associated with a drop in demand. Earlier this year, the company secured orders for 210 aircraft from Qatar Airways during US President Donald Trump's visit to the region. The order portfolios of both manufacturers remain consistently high: Airbus has more than 8,000 aircraft, and Boeing has more than 5,000.

A special feature of this year's air show was the increase in the share of defense topics. Against the backdrop of military conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, as well as preparations for the NATO summit, a significant part of activities and contracts are related to defense. Among the agreements signed is a Thales contract for the supply of 48 new remote-controlled artillery systems to France.

Airbus chief executive Guillaume Faury told CNBC that demand for new aircraft remains strong, especially for wide-body airliners that have lagged behind in terms of deliveries during the pandemic years. Dan Taylor, head of consulting at IBA, said Boeing's strategy in Paris does not reflect a decline in interest in its products, but rather caution amid geopolitical instability and uncertainty about possible trade restrictions.