Boeing pips Airbus in low-key Farnborough jet order race

Boeing edged Airbus in a low-key order competition at the Farnborough Airshow, as the industry focuses on supply constraints and clearing large order backlogs. Reuters tally cited just over 300 orders in total, with deals “worth tens of billions of dollars” meeting expectations but falling short of external forecasts that reached up to 800 aircraft. Boeing announced firm and preliminary orders for 173 aircraft, while Airbus reported 154 firm and provisional orders, for 327 combined. After excluding deals already in manufacturers’ order books where the buyer name was initially not disclosed, the total narrowed to 218. The report notes both manufacturers’ long order backlogs extending into the next decade. The biggest commercial deal came from lessor SMBC Aviation for 200 single-aisle jets split evenly between 100 Boeing 737 MAX and 100 Airbus A320neo-family aircraft. Demand also continued for widebodies, with Riyadh Air and Philippine Airlines buying at both makers, and AerCap adding Boeing 787s. CFM International posted a record order for over 1,000 LEAP-1A engines.