This year's edition of the Paris International Air Show is raising many questions. There are two reasons for this - literally days before, an Air India plane crashed, killing 279 people. Meanwhile, the Israel-Iran war has flared up with renewed vigor.
Every two years, Le Bourget airport in northeast Paris becomes a showcase for the aerospace and defense industry, its runway dotted with fighter jets, commercial jets and autonomous drones.
Visitors are expecting fewer deals than usual at this year’s edition of the world’s largest aviation trade show from June 16 to 20, partly because of the deadly crash of an Air India Boeing 787 last week and also because Boeing made huge deals during U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent tour of the Middle East.
But Boeing’s rival Airbus looks set to make a series of sales on home soil, and interest in the defense side of the show is high as Europe increases military spending and the conflict between Israel and Iran escalates.
On June 16, Airbus received an order for aircraft worth 3.5 billion USD from Saudi company AviLease, while a diplomatic row erupted over France's decision to close four Israeli stands displaying defense weapons, Daily Sabah recalls.
Leading Turkish manufacturers, including Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) and Baykar, the investor of world-famous drones, are also showcasing their best products at the fair.
Tensions between traditional allies France and Israel escalated as the fair began, when Paris ordered the closure of the stands of four major Israeli companies after they refused to remove offensive weapons, including those used in Gaza, from the exhibition.
The Israeli Defense Ministry condemned the move as “scandalous and unprecedented” and accused France of trying to protect its companies from Israeli competition.
The show organizers said they were holding talks to try to “find a favorable way out of the situation“.
Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg and Commercial Airplanes chief Stephanie Pope canceled trips to Paris, and the U.S. company is cutting back on its schedule at the event as it focuses on supporting the investigation into the Air India crash, the first for the 787 model.
Airbus is using the situation to close more deals. Saudi leasing company AviLease said it has ordered 30 Airbus A320neo single-aisle jets and 10 A350 freighters in its first direct deal with the European planemaker.
That would be worth about $3.5 billion. USD, according to analysts' forecast prices Cirium Ascend. The two companies did not specify the value of the deal, which could increase to 77 aircraft if AviLease exercises options to buy more of the two models.
Polish airline LOT is ready to announce an order for 40 Airbus A220s plus options for 44 more planes, two people familiar with the matter told Reuters.
Brazil's Embraer has been pushing hard for the deal, the sources said. Neither party agreed to comment.
Airbus is also the favorite against the same aircraft manufacturer for a potential order of dozens of A220 aircraft from AirAsia.