Paris ’09

Recession becalms world’s biggest trade airshow

Oh what a difference a couple of years make! Two years ago our last Paris Air Show report included firm order announcements for nearly 500 new airliners in addition to another 300 commitments. And that came on top of more than 600 orders just the two major manufacturers, Airbus and Boeing, were already holding for just the first six months of that year.

But due to the ongoing global economic doldrums, it was clear in the lead up to the show that 2009 would not see a repeat of the heady rush of orders seen in previous years. A quick comparison saw orders for just 162 airliners announced at the 2009 Salon International de L’Aeronautique et de L’Espace held at Le Bourget Airport, although with all exhibition and chalet space at the show fully booked, and most of the major manufacturers maintaining a major presence of senior executives and static displays, almost all were looking forward to a recovery in 2010 and beyond.