Airbus Inks Landmark Contract with Lion Air

Airbus has managed to infiltrate once undisputed Boeing territory by closing a firm order from Indonesia’s Lion Air for 234 A320-family narrowbodies. Signed Monday during a special ceremony attended by French president François Hollande at the Elysee Palace in Paris, the contract calls for delivery of 109 A320neos, 65 A321neos and 60 current-generation A320s.

The launch customer for both the Boeing 737-900ER and 737 MAX 9, Lion Air now flies more than 80 Boeing narrowbodies throughout the region. Its order for the Airbus jets, worth €18.4 billion ($24.1 billion), sets a new record both in terms of value and number of units for the European manufacturer.