$5bn worth of orders...and there's more to come
MIKE MARTIN
Airbus will double its order book - to more than 300 sales for the year - during the Paris airshow. And it got off to a $5 billion-plus flying start yesterday with two orders and a deal signing covering 66 aircraft.
Airbus is making another announcement today, thought to be another mega aircraft leasing order from ILFC (International Lease Finance Corporation) for 110 aircraft.
Yesterday saw a 30 aircraft order for the single-aisle A320 plus 18 options in a deal with fast-growing, low-fare airline JetBlue Airways. The deal is worth $2.5 billion. Airbus also signed a $3 billion-plus deal with Air France for 10 A380s and four options. The contract signing at the show firms up a commitment made by Air France earlier this year.
The third deal was for four A321 aircraft from Royal Air Maroc.
There is more to come and Airbus chief executive Noel Forgeard is maintaining his upbeat message about the market. The company arrived at Paris with 144 sales. Said Forgeard: "At the end of the show we will be beyond 300 [sales this year]."
The company is sticking to its forecast of 350-400 sales this year, with vice-president, customer affairs John Leahy saying: "It will be at the high end of that."
The JetBlue order brings the airline's total number of A320 orders to 131, with 14 aircraft delivered so far. The first of the new aircraft will be delivered in February, 2004.
The airline has chosen International Aero Engines V2500 powerplants, in line with previous orders.
Profitability
JetBlue chief executive David Neeleman said yesterday: "We have been around for a year and a half and we have reached profitability. One of the reasons we have been successful is because of the airplane. The passengers love it because they have a wider cabin. You have extra overhead space and an extra inch of room. That gives a great feel to passengers."
While many commentators are in gloomy frame of mind about aircraft orders, Airbus has the sales to remain upbeat even if the company acknowledges that the market is softening.
Turning to the prospects for the Airbus A380, Forgeard revealed that the company's projection of making the 100 order mark by year end was likely to be realised in two ways. "Some of the announced customers will take more airplanes and there will be some new customers."
Source: Flight Daily News
