After watching some of the world’s most advanced aircraft take to the Paris skies, two major aircraft manufacturers come out on top by making $100 billion in orders.
The National reports that Airbus and Boeing’s sales jumped sky-high (no pun intended) during the biennial Paris Air Show. From June 15th to the 21st, aircraft manufacturers from all over the world congregated in the City of Lights to show off their latest models but it was Airbus and Boeing that reaped the most attention, garnering $107 billion over the course of the week.
The two companies earned almost as much from their participation in the Farnborough Air Show last year in England.
In all, Airbus managed to beat Boeing in terms of sheer numbers. By the 21st, Airbus secured contracts for 421 airplanes worth $57 billion total. In contrast, Boeing will produce 331 planes for $50 billion total.
“Paris this year has been far from quiet,” said Airbus COO for sales John Leahy. “For us, it was the fourth-best air show in terms of sales since Lindbergh landed here in 1927.”
Leahy, of course, was referring to Charles Lindbergh’s historic nonstop transatlantic flight from Long Island to Paris in the 1920s. Specifically, Lindbergh landed the Spirit of St. Louis on Le Bourget Airport, Paris’s sole airport at the time and the current venue for the Paris Air Show.
“As the world’s largest aviation and space show, the Paris Air Show is a unique opportunity for both trade visitors and the general public to discover the industry’s latest innovations and developments and watch flying displays of some of the most amazing air crafts in existence,” says Alley Bradley, CEO, Paris Copia. “Nearby the Paris Air Show are some not-to-be-missed tourist sites including the Basilica of Saint-Denis and Parc de La Courneuve Georges Valbon.”
This time around, there were more than 300,000 spectators at the show. However, most of the business deals were done out of sight in the four days allotted to industry visitors, exhibitors, and journalists.
Though Airbus and Boeing sold many of their models, the former has yet to find a buyer for what’s considered to be the world’s largest passenger jet, the Airbus A380. Capable of seating 525 passengers, the enormous airplane hasn’t had a single buyer in two years.