Airbus bags orders at UK's Farnborough air show

European planemaker Airbus announced a batch of commands on the opening day of the Farnborough air show in the south of England, as did its US rival Boeing.

Spectators look at an Airbus A330-900 at the Farnborough Airshow REUTERS/Peter Nicholls

The French-based company clocked several 24 billion euros-worth of orders for 27 A350s, its latest model, and 175 A329neos, the repowered version of its top-selling medium-haul model, at the start of a show that sees intense competition with Boeing:

• China's Sichuan Airlines confirmed an agreement made at the end of the year to buy 10 long-haul A350s;

• Taiwan's Starlux signed a memorandum of understanding for the purchase of 17 A350s, 12 of them A350-1000s and five 350-900s;

• India's Vistara signed a letter of intention for 13 A320neos and, along with other companies, commited itself to taking another 37 A320neos;

• Kuwait's Watinaya Airways finalised an order for 25 A320neos;

• Irish-based Goshawk Aviation ordered 20 A320neos;

• An unnamed customer signed a memorandum of understanding for 80 A320neos.

Boeing announced orders for 19 long-haul 777s and 35 737 MAX, for a cataolgue value of 10 billion euros.

Airbus also welcomed the British government's commitment to invest two billion pounds (2,264,00 euros) in the development of a fighter plane, to be called Tempest, between now and 2025.

The announcement, made as the UK prepares to leave the EU, would appear to be in competition with the Franco-German project for a European fighter launched in July 2017.

Airbus said it was ready to discuss with all potential colllaborators.