Airbus opened the Paris Air Show with a slew of orders and options that total nearly 240 aircraft, including its first-ever order from LOT Polish Airlines. In all, Airbus either held signing ceremonies with or announced orders from four carriers, with the earliest deliveries beginning in 2027. Values were not disclosed.
The milestone of Airbus’ deal with LOT—one of the world’s oldest airlines at nearly 100 years—was announced on Monday afternoon, with Airbus and LOT executives accompanied by ministers and ambassadors from Poland, France, and Canada.
LOT placed a firm order for 20 A220-100s and 20 A220-300s, a deal that could grow to 84 aircraft as the carrier refreshes its current fleet of regional jets. Plans call to eventually phase out all of its Embraer E-Jets, including a trio of E2s, but longer term with the latter for commonality purposes, said LOT CEO Michał Fijoł.
“It was over a year ago when we started to work on this project…finding the right partner for the new generation of regional fleets,” Fijot said. “The two companies, Airbus and LOT, frankly speaking, at the very beginning did not know too much about each other.”
He added that the process was not easy, and LOT received two very competitive offers. But he said the economics of the deal and the aircraft, along with the space, modern cabin, and sustainability gains, helped tilt the deal.
Embraer Blames Politics For Loss
One of the unsuccessful bidders, Embraer, suggested that European politics may have played a part in LOT's choice, issuing the following statement: "While we respect LOT Polish Airlines' decision, we believe the E2 is the best aircraft for LOT from an economic and sustainability point of view. The E2 is 13% more efficient, and, unlike the larger competition, perfectly complements LOT’s 186 seat 737Max8s. The commonality with LOT’s current fleet would save millions of Euros on the transition to a new aircraft type. However, we understand we are living in an exceptional moment where geopolitics play an important role. We remain committed to supporting LOT with our existing fleet and providing exceptional service. LOT has been a valued partner of Embraer, and we are proud of the strong relationship we have built over the years."
Deliveries to Poland are expected to begin in 2027 and continue over the next few years. Once its Warsaw hub is ready in 2032, plans call to move forward on the options.
Kicking off Airbus’ order bonanza on Monday morning was an agreement signed with global aircraft lessor AviLease for up to 77 A350F freighters and A320neos. The initial order involves 10 A350F freighters and 30 of the A320neo family. The agreement also ultimately calls for up to 22 A350Fs and 55 of a mix of A320neos and A321neos. Delivery of the aircraft is anticipated between 2030 and 2033.
This deal marks the first that the three-year-old lessor has placed directly with Airbus and comes as the Saudi Arabia-based firm works toward becoming a top 10 lessor. AviLease CEO Edward O’Byrne explained, “We see value in scale…in terms of return on equity.” AviLease has already raised $6 billion in capital, in addition to its shareholder investment, and has accrued a fleet of 200 aircraft placed with 50 airlines in 30 countries. “We've really grown very fast, and we're able to operationalize the company.”
The second major goal for the firm when it was established in 2022 was to build “strong and vibrant ecosystems,” O’Byrne added, including helping to expand the cargo infrastructure in Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Airline Market Asserts Itself
“There’s a big potential growth in the Saudi market,” he said. “The Saudi aviation strategy calls for more than doubling the cargo and logistics infrastructure in the kingdom.” However, since AviLease is a global company, the aircraft could be placed in other regions, he noted.
O’Byrne called the competition for the freighter model close, but it ultimately opted for the A350F, working with stakeholders. “The last few months were somewhat intense between both our teams,” O’Byrne said.
Meanwhile, Riyadh Air signed a deal for 25 A350-1000 aircraft with the potential to double it to 50. The deal positions Riyadh Air to become the first airline in Saudi Arabia to operate the A350-1000. Riyadh Air CFO Adam Boukadida said the order supports Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 ambition to reach 300 million air passengers annually.
“This order marks a significant step forward in building a world-class airline that reflects the ambitions of Vision 2030,” Boukadida said. “It’s a clear signal of our intent to shape the future of air travel and contribute meaningfully to the kingdom’s fast-growing aviation ecosystem.”
Adding to Monday’s tally, longtime customer ANA Holding signed an agreement for 27 A321 aircraft. This order breaks down into 24 A321neos and three A321XLR aircraft, with deliveries to begin in 2030.
This continues a relationship that dates to 1987 with ANA’s first order for 10 A320s, which entered service in 1991. The ANA orderbook with Airbus has since grown to nearly 100 aircraft, including the widebody A380.
“This latest order purchase agreement is a testament to the trust and confidence we place in Airbus as we continue to enhance our fleet to meet the evolving needs of our passengers,” said Koji Shibata, ANA Holdings’ representative director, president, and CEO.
All Nippon Airways will operate 14 of the new A321neos, while the remaining 10 A321neos and three A321XLRs will be used to upgrade ANA carrier Peach Aviation’s fleet. Peach Aviation will become the first airline in Japan to operate the A321XLR, the longest-legged of the single-aisle aircraft family, with a range of 4,700-nm.