Indicating a huge growth potential for the aviation sector, world’s two top aircraft makers Boeing and Airbus announced total orders worth USD 107 billion at this week’s International Air Show here, including firm orders worth about USD 35 billion. However, Indian airlines were conspicuous by their absence from the huge tally of companies placing initial and firm orders, even as both Boeing and Airbus said they see huge potential for the Indian aviation sector and the growth rate there was expected to be among the fastest across the world. Boeing said it won orders and commitments for 331 aircraft worth USD 50.2 billion this week at the Air Show at Le Bourget, on the outskirts of Paris, which opens for general public tomorrow. This includes firm orders for 145 aircraft worth USD 18.6 billion and the rest are the commitment or the orders that have already been in the order book but whose buyer airlines were not disclosed earlier. Airbus announced firm orders for 124 aircraft worth USD 16.3 billion and commitment for 297 aircraft worth USD 40.7 billion at the show. It also managed to win a last-minute order for 110 plans from Europe’s low cost carrier Wizz Air. “We had again a very successful Paris Airshow, we received orders and commitments for 421 aircraft worth USD 57 billion,” Airbus Group’s plane-making division CEO Fabrice Bregier told reporters here. Airbus India MD Srinivasan Dwarkanath told PTI that Indian market would continue to see significant growth rate, which would be among the highest in the world. Similar views were expressed by Boeing’s Dinesh Keskar, who said that airlines in India have already begun making profits and the coming quarters could be much better for them. He expressed confidence that the Indian airlines would certainly need many more planes going ahead. In the wide-body market, Airbus kickedoff the show with the announcement of the first operator for the new A330 Regional, with Saudi Arabian Airlines taking 20 on lease from IAFC, a leading lessor in the Middle East. The A330 Regional will enable airlines to serve fast growing domestic and regional routes at least cost and maximum efficiency. The A350 XWB also attracted new business with commitments for 31 A350-900s. Airbus new range of wide body aircraft won 55 orders and commitments worth USD 15.6 billion, comprising 31 A350- 900s, 20 A330 Regional and four A330-300s.
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