Dubai Airshow ends with $14 billion in orders

Date: 20/11/2009

The Dubai Airshow sales figures at the show’s close on Thursday highlighted an industry still recovering, with $14 billion (£9 billion) committed to orders from the show.

Top aeroplane manufacturer Airbus was dominant in the airshow figures, raising $5.3 billion worth of orders and intents to buy from airlines for 15 new airliners.

Rival manufacturer Boeing raised a meagre-in-comparison $800 million in orders for 11 planes.

The airshow order figures were still a far cry from 2007 numbers when $155 billion was raised in aerospace orders at the biennial show.

Airbus sold 12 A350-900s to Ethiopian Airlines and two A380 jets to other buyers.

Boeing announced a deal for 11 737-800 jets to Air Algerie and Tassili Airlines.

Both Boeing and Airbus executives said earlier during the show that the Middle East region would drive growth for the airline industry over the coming years, predicting more than 1,400 new planes would be necessary to meet passenger demands over the next 20 years in the region.