Order drought ends at Dubai Air Show

“The order, previously attributed to an unidentified customer, includes conversions of 25 Next-Generation 737s to 737 MAX8s, as well as options and purchase rights for an additional 50 aircraft”, Boeing said in a statement released at a joint press conference at the Dubai Airshow.

At Boeing, orders as of 4 November were only 498, though John Wojick, sales chief of the airliner division, said he was confident the planemaker will bring the figure up in coming weeks. “Due to large previous orders, the total show order tally this year will be much less than years prior”, said Ben Moores, senior analyst at IHS Aerospace, Defence & Security.

Asked in an interview whether Airbus still aimed to win a keenly awaited new order in 2015 for the double-decker, Fabrice Bregier told Reuters, “I think so, yes, … and if it slips into next year this is not a drama”.

“The workers were satisfied with the mediation and ended their demonstration peacefully”, the government statement said, adding that the men’s employer was instructed “to clearly communicate contractual terms to the workers in order to prevent any future misunderstanding”. In 2013, purchases of Boeing and Airbus planes worth more than $140 billion were announced.

Meanwhile, the Chicago-based aircraft manufacturer forecasts a 6.2 per cent annual growth in demand, valued at $1 trillion, for planes in the Middle East over the next 20 years.

Hundreds of migrant labourers have staged a protest near the airport hosting the biennial Dubai Airshow. “We do not expect it” to place major orders.

The agreement was confirmed at a private signing ceremony attended by Shaikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Aviation City Corporation, the parent organisation of Dubai South; Khalifa Al Zaffin, executive chairman of Dubai Aviation City Corporation; Dennis Muilenburg, president and CEO of Boeing; Raymond Conner, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes; Marc Allen, president of Boeing worldwide; and Bernard Dunn, president of Boeing Middle East, North Africa and Turkey.

To a question, he said Etihad Airways has a lot of aeroplanes on its books and it is unlikely that the airline will make an announcement at the airshow.

“Air Arabia may finalise a deal for either 737 Max or A320neo jets”, said Ahmad.

“Only Oman and Saudi Arabia have smaller order backlogs”.