As the global aerospace industry descends on the French capital for the 55th Paris Air Show, Robert Veitch looks at what might be on the cards at the biennial event

Unlike Farnborough, the Paris Air Show is continuing to offer public access days

AIRBUS

In odd-numbered years, when June comes around all eyes in the aviation industry look towards northeast Paris and its biennial airshow, which this year runs from June 16-22.

The 2023 iteration was the first since 2019, with the 2021 event cancelled in the wake of COVID-19, and despite a large volume of orders and announcements in the run up there was plenty of space in the static park as the show opened.

Airbus scored the first hit when it announced “the biggest single purchase agreement in the history of commercial aviation”, as low-cost carrier IndiGo placed a record-breaking order for 500 A320 Family aircraft. The order made the Indian airline the largest A320 customer worldwide. IndiGo didn’t grab all the sub-continent headlines, though, as Air India committed to up to 290 Boeing aircraft (190 737 MAXs, 20 787 Dreamliners, ten 777Xs, with options for 50 MAXs and 20 Dreamliners), as well as 250 Airbus airframes (140 A320neos, 70 A321neos, 34 A3501000s and six A350-900s).

Embraer brought the E190F to Farnborough 2024, but will they bring it to Paris 2025?

EMBRAER

Air Mauritius bolstered its all-Airbus widebody fleet of four A350s and four A330s with a further three A350-900s, while Saudi carrier flynas signed a follow-on order for 30 A320neos, increasing its total commitment to 120 aircraft, including the long-range A321XLRs. Philippine Airlines finalised its purchase of nine A3501000s, and China Airlines ordered eight 787 Dreamliners. Air Algeria complemented its 737 fleet with an order for eight MAX 9s and a brace of 737-800BCFs, while Luxair added four MAX 7s to its orderbook. Qantas Group upped its commitment for the A220-300 to 29 aircraft after finalising a deal for a further nine examples. Dublin-based lessor Avolon announced a significant expansion of its single-aisle and widebody portfolios with 40 737 MAXs, as well as 20 A330neos.