Boeing Edges Airbus in Subdued Farnborough Airshow Order Tally

Boeing Co. secured a narrow lead over European rival Airbus SE in aircraft orders at a subdued Farnborough Airshow, a reflection of an industry-wide shift from record-setting sales to tackling immense production backlogs. The event underscored persistent supply chain challenges that have left both planemakers focused on delivering existing orders rather than announcing new ones.

Order Tally and Key Deals

According to a tally by Reuters, the two dominant planemakers announced a combined total of 327 firm and provisional orders during the week. The breakdown was as follows:

• Boeing: 173 aircraft, including both narrowbody and widebody models.
• Airbus: 154 aircraft.

After excluding deals that were already in the manufacturers' order books without a named buyer, the net total of new business was 218 aircraft. While this figure is slightly above the previous Farnborough event in 2024, it remains far below the cyclical peak of 1,109 orders seen in 2018.

The week's largest commercial transaction came from lessor SMBC Aviation, which split an order for 200 single-aisle jets evenly, purchasing 100 Boeing 737 MAX and 100 Airbus A320neo-family aircraft. Other notable deals included widebody purchases from Riyadh Air and Philippine Airlines, and an order for more Boeing 787s from leasing giant AerCap.

Industry Focus Shifts to Production

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The muted atmosphere at the airshow highlights a critical industry bottleneck: production. Years of supply-chain disruptions and labor shortages have left both manufacturers with record order backlogs that stretch well into the next decade. This has shifted the primary focus from sales to manufacturing output.

"Demand is not the issue," Boeing Commercial Airplanes CEO Stephanie Pope told reporters, summarizing the current market dynamic. Consequently, the traditional emphasis on headline-grabbing orders at air shows has faded as airlines and manufacturers concentrate on navigating production constraints to ensure timely deliveries.

Supply Chain in the Spotlight

The strain on production is not limited to airframes. In one of the show's most significant deals, engine maker CFM International received a record order for more than 1,000 LEAP-1A engines to power 500 previously ordered Airbus jets. Engine suppliers have been a key source of delays, and both CFM and rival Pratt & Whitney reported that the industrial situation was steadily improving.

Beyond the duopoly, Brazilian manufacturer Embraer also announced orders for 50 of its regional aircraft, including 20 freighters, indicating continued demand across different market segments.