Airbus and Boeing wide-body planes dominate Paris Air Show
The US aircraft-leasing group ILFC has ordered 50 more Airbus A320neo airliners, the two companies announced on the first day of the Paris Air Show on Monday.
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The catalogue price for the sale is 3.7 billion euros. In 2011, ILFC had ordered 100 of the A320neo aircraft, which are more fuel-efficient than the A320 series, widely used by low-cost airlines and on short-haul routes.
The world's biggest air show took to the air on Monday at Le Bourget, just outside the French capital.
A battle between Boeing and Airbus for orders in the lucrative market for wide-body planes is set to dominate the event.
Airbus is pinning its hopes on the fuel-efficient A350 to compete in the long-haul sector after gradually winning more than half of the market for medium-haul, single-aisle planes that carry an average of 150 passengers.
The A350 is expected to conduct a fly-by of the air show towards the end of the week, hoping to woo potential customers.
Boeing is also entering the show in upbeat mood as it seeks to move on from its difficulties with the trouble-prone 787 Dreamliner.
Technical problems with overheating batteries forced the worldwide grounding of the Dreamliner fleet in a major setback for the Seattle-based manufacturer.
At Le Bourget, Boeing is expected to announce the launch of its 787-10X, a longer version of the original Dreamliner, which can accommodate up to 330 passengers.
The US firm is also set to announce in the coming months an up-to-date version of its existing 777, with wings made of fuel-saving composite material like the Dreamliner.
Boeing boss Ray Conner said it was going to be a "great competition" and said that airlines would "benefit from the fact that both companies are going to have a good wide-body product line."
Airbus has positioned the A350 for the market between the popular 777 and the 787, hoping to steal share away from both planes.
The European firm argues that its craft will consume six percent less fuel than the 787 and a quarter less than the 777.
Boeing's strategy, on the other hand, is to offer its clients a wider choice of long-haul airliners.
At last year's Farnborough show in Britain, which alternates with Le Bourget, Boeing came out on top, securing orders worth more than double the sum secured by Airbus.
However, while the big two still dominate the shows, other players are entering the market, with Canada's Bombardier hoping to win orders in the medium-haul segment with its CSeries, a plane with 110 to 130 seats.
"The duopoly is definitely over," acknowledged Randy Tinseth, marketing vice-president at Boeing.
But the Paris air show, in its 50th edition this year, is not just about commercial battles and the long-awaited A400M military transport plane will also probably prove a highlight as it takes to the skies.
The market in unmanned surveillance drones will also be in focus after three top European defence companies urged the creation of a European programme to manufacture the craft, currently available only from Israel or the United States.
The Paris Air Show runs from June 17 to 23. It is expected to welcome some 350,000 visitors through its cavernous show halls.
The event, which has become the global aviation industry's largest in terms of surface and number of exhibitors, will throw open its doors to the public on June 21 after first welcoming professionals.
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