Plane Truths

Yunus Dar

The 53rd Paris Air Show witnessed surprising deals and collaborations for airline manufacturers as they gathered in France from 17-23 June 2019. The biennial event saw dozens of airlines and leasing companies place orders for commercial aircraft despite a gloomy civil aviation market forecast. The prestigious air show witnessed the sale of around 938 planes, down slightly from the last two years, but more than what was anticipated by the analysts.

Crowd at Paris Air Show 2019

Boeing Orders

The most talked about order was the signing of the Boeing 737 MAX deal between Boeing and one of the world’s largest airline groups, International Airlines Group (IAG), on June 19. IAG said it plans to build its future fleet with the Boeing 737 MAX with an intention to purchase 200 MAX jets. The two companies have been in discussion regarding the opportunity and signed a letter of intent at the Paris Air Show in a deal that would be valued at more than USD24 billion, per list prices.

In selecting the 737 MAX, IAG says it will fly a combination of the 737 MAX 8, which seats up to 178 passengers in a two-class configuration, and the larger 737 MAX 10 jet, which can accommodate as many as 230 passengers. The airline did not disclose a specific split between the two MAX models, though it anticipates deploying the aircraft at a number of the group’s airlines including Vueling and LEVEL.

“We are truly honoured and humbled by the leadership at International Airlines Group for placing their trust and confidence in the 737 MAX and, ultimately, in the people of Boeing and our deep commitment to quality and safety above all else,” said Boeing Commercial Airplanes president and CEO Kevin McAllister. “We are delighted that the IAG team recognised the superior qualities of the 737 MAX and has indicated an intention to return to the Boeing 737 family. We look forward to building on our long-standing partnership with IAG for many years to come,” he said.

The 737 MAX incorporates the latest technology CFM International LEAP-1B engines, Advanced Technology winglets and other improvements to d