Aircraft

Airbus has potentially taken its year-to-date net order total to nearly 70 aircraft, after signing several agreements at the Paris Air Show.

The show is traditionally a showcase for Airbus and, despite the economic slowdown, it unveiled firm orders for 58 jets during the event.

Airbus also claimed commitments to another 69 aircraft.

AirAsia X placed the most significant order, a $2.4 billion deal for 10 A350-900s, while Qatar Airways and Vietnam Airlines together ordered 40 A320-family twin-jets.

Cebu Pacific, Aigle Azur and Zest Air took another seven A320-family aircraft while Airbus also secured an order for a single A320 corporate jet.

Airbus values these firm orders at $6.4 billion and is claiming that the additional agreements bring the total commitment to $12.9 billion.

Wizz Air dominated the additional agreements with a memorandum of understanding for 50 A320s, worth $3.8 billion, while Turkish Airlines signed for seven A330s.

Vietnam Airlines agreed to take another pair of A350-900s, and India's Paramount Airways tentatively opted for 10 A321s.

Airbus had net orders for just 11 aircraft at the end of May, but chief operating John Leahy says: "Our customers are addressing both the long-term industry growth as well as the necessary replacement of older, less-efficient aircraft."

Rival Boeing, which has been focused on the preparations for first flight of its 787 twin-jet, kept its presence at the show, in terms of commercial aircraft announcements, comparatively low-key.

Boeing's net order total at 16 June had reached 10 aircraft.