After the phoney war of the Farnborough airshow build-up, the real thing began today (Monday 17th July).
The best coverage is available via Flight Daily News, for which the Airline Business editor is working during the early part of the show. Today's news centred around Airbus coming clear with its all-new A350 and Boeing resisting the temptation to gloat about its troubles. Airbus also has some cool video on its website from the show.
"Don't give up" was the simple message from Alan Mulally, chief executive officer of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, to Christian Streiff his newly appointed counterpart at rival Airbus.
Mulally, who was speaking at his main press briefing at the show, added: "New airplanes are hard we have a lot of compassion with what they're going through." In the past, Boeing has itself been no stranger to being in the firing line with its own programme issues and executive turmoil. "We've had our troubles," admitted Mulally.
Boeing often says it doesn't save up orders for shows, but it could not resist holding back the announcement by Indonesia's Lion Air today at the show that it is exercising its options for another 30 737-900ERs. Lion Air co-founder Rusdi Kirana also said that when these aircraft have made him a "billionaire" he will come back to Mulally and order some 787s.
Alan's smile was, as you would expect, broader than ever.
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