Day three of the Paris Air Show 2025 at Le Bourget cemented a clear narrative: Airbus and Embraer are confidently steering the commercial aviation market, while Boeing maintains a somber, largely silent presence. The air show, typically a battleground for multi-billion dollar deals and grand announcements, has seen a distinct shift in dynamics, largely influenced by recent tragic events and ongoing industry challenges. While the overall volume of orders might not match the frenetic pace of previous years, the qualitative aspects of this year’s show, particularly the strategic moves by key players, are highly significant.
Airbus’s Commanding Performance: Widebodies and Freighters Take Centre Stage
Airbus, the European aerospace giant, continued its impressive run on Day 3, solidifying its dominant position with a series of significant announcements. The focus was notably on widebody aircraft and the burgeoning freighter market, signaling robust demand in these segments.
- EGYPTAIR’s A350 Expansion: A major win saw EGYPTAIR firm up an order for an additional six Airbus A350-900s, exercising options from a previous deal. This expansion underscores the airline’s growth strategy and commitment to modern, fuel-efficient widebody jets.
- A350F Freighter Success: Airbus’s next-generation A350F freighter program gained further traction with a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) from Turkish cargo carrier MNG Airlines for two A350F freighters. This follows earlier commitments at the show, highlighting the A350F’s appeal in replacing aging cargo fleets with more sustainable and efficient alternatives.
- STARLUX Airlines’ A350-1000 Order: Taiwanese carrier STARLUX Airlines further bolstered Airbus’s widebody portfolio with a firm order for 10 additional Airbus A350-1000s. This move reflects the airline’s ambitious long-haul expansion plans, leveraging the A350-1000’s capabilities for extended routes.
- Strategic Narrowbody Wins: Beyond widebodies, Airbus also secured notable narrowbody deals. LOT Polish Airlines placed an order for 40 Airbus A220s, a significant shift for an airline that has traditionally been a strong Embraer customer. This strategic move highlights the A220’s growing competitiveness in the regional jet market. Additionally, VietJet Air reportedly signed a deal for up to 150 A321neo jets, a testament to the continued strong demand for the popular single-aisle aircraft.
Airbus’s CEO, Christian Scherer, opened each announcement with a moment of solemn remembrance for the victims of the recent Air India crash, setting a respectful tone that resonated throughout their presentations.
Embraer’s Regional Jet Prowess and Diversification
While Airbus commanded the headlines with large commercial jet orders, Brazilian manufacturer Embraer demonstrated its continued strength in the regional jet market and showed signs of strategic diversification.
- SkyWest’s E175 Order: Embraer celebrated a substantial firm order from SkyWest Airlines for 60 E175 regional jets, with options for an additional 50 aircraft. This deal, valued at $3.6 billion, reinforces SkyWest’s position as the world’s largest E-175 operator and Embraer’s dominance in the 76-seat regional segment.
- E-Freighter Launch Customer: Embraer officially announced Bridges Air Cargo as the launch customer for its E190F passenger-to-freight (P2F) conversion program. This move signifies Embraer’s entry into the growing narrowbody freighter market, leveraging its existing E-Jet family.
- Military Transport Success: In the defense sector, Lithuania selected Embraer’s C-390 Millennium as its next-generation military transport aircraft, with an order for three units. This highlights the C-390’s growing appeal in the global military logistics segment.
- eVTOL Progress: Embraer’s urban air mobility spin-off, Eve Air Mobility, also garnered attention, securing a Letter of Intent (LOI) for 54 eVTOL aircraft from Future Flight Global (FFG), indicating continued interest in sustainable, future-flight solutions.
Embraer’s performance underscores its agility in a dynamic market, not only by defending its core regional jet business but also by expanding into new, high-potential areas like cargo conversions and urban air mobility.
Boeing’s Subdued Presence: A Time for Reflection
Day 3 : In stark contrast to the bustling activity of Airbus and Embraer, Boeing maintained a remarkably low profile on Day 3. Following the tragic Air India Flight 171 crash involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner just days before the air show, the American manufacturer opted for a muted presence.
- Focus on Investigation: Boeing executives, including CEO Kelly Ortberg, cancelled their attendance, prioritizing the ongoing investigation into the Air India accident.
- Respectful Tone: Boeing’s booth featured a somber display with flowers and a message honoring the victims, reflecting a period of reflection rather than aggressive sales.
- Limited Commercial Deals: While Boeing reportedly had some pre-show orders, no major commercial deals were announced on Day 3. This is a significant departure from previous air shows where Boeing was a major source of blockbuster announcements.
Industry analysts noted that Boeing’s silence, while unusual for such a major event, was understandable given the circumstances. It allowed the company to focus internally and manage the fallout from the accident, rather than engage in the usual competitive theatrics of an air show. This quiet approach, however, left a considerable void in the commercial deal-making landscape, creating an opportunity that Airbus and Embraer readily capitalized on.
Key Highlights of Paris Air Show 2025 – Day 3
| Feature | Description |
| Airbus’s Widebody Dominance | Significant orders for A350-900s and A350-1000s, solidifying its position in the long-haul segment. |
| Growth of Freighter Market | Strong interest in the A350F and the launch of Embraer’s E-Freighter program, signaling a growing cargo segment. |
| Embraer’s Regional Jet Strength | Major E175 orders reinforce its leadership in regional aviation and strategic diversification into P2F and military. |
| Boeing’s Muted Presence | A direct consequence of the recent Air India 787 crash, leading to a focus on investigation and reflection over sales. |
The Future of Aviation: Beyond the Deals
Day 3 : Beyond the immediate orders, Day 3 also saw discussions around critical industry themes. Supply chain issues, though still present, are showing signs of easing, with Airbus reporting a significant reduction in disruptions. There’s a continued emphasis on sustainable aviation technologies, with Electric Vertical Take-off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft drawing considerable interest, as exemplified by Eve Air Mobility’s LOIs. The air show remains a vital platform for collaboration and innovation, even if the public deal announcements are less spectacular than in previous years. The aviation industry, while facing challenges, is clearly focused on long-term growth and adapting to evolving global demands.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: Why was Boeing so quiet at the Paris Air Show 2025?
A1: Boeing maintained a very low profile at the Paris Air Show 2025 primarily due to the tragic Air India Flight 171 crash involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which occurred just days before the event. The company chose to prioritize the ongoing investigation into the accident and expressed a period of reflection and respect for the victims, rather than making major commercial announcements.
Q2: What types of aircraft did Airbus primarily sell on Day 3?
A2: On Day 3 of the Paris Air Show, Airbus saw strong sales across its portfolio, but particularly highlighted widebody aircraft like the A350-900 and A350-1000, and its next-generation A350F freighters. They also secured significant orders for their A220 and A321neo narrowbody jets.
Q3: Besides large commercial jets, what other aviation segments saw activity?
A3: Beyond the large commercial jets, the air show demonstrated significant activity in the regional jet market (dominated by Embraer’s E-Jets), the cargo conversion segment (with the launch of Embraer’s E-Freighter), military transport aircraft (Embraer C-390), and the rapidly developing urban air mobility (UAM) sector with orders for eVTOL aircraft.
