DUBAI: Ethiopian Airlines confirmed an order on Sunday for 12 Airbus A350 XWB aircraft in the first plane sale to emerge from the Dubai Airshow.
The deal officially pushes Airbus’ order book for the wide-body plane past the 500 mark. But it also signals a muted start for the Middle East’s premier aviation fair, as the order has been expected for months and fell far short of the eye-popping deals inked by Gulf carriers at the start of the last show two years ago.
Airbus President and Chief Executive Tom Enders said it was nonetheless a welcome sign in an otherwise difficult commercial aviation market.
“We all believe 2010 and 2011 will be still quite challenging,” he said after signing the deal. “But I think particularly this airshow is encouraging ... for seeing that there is growth, particularly in the Middle East, in Africa.”
Toulouse, France-based Airbus valued the deal at $3 billion at list prices. Buyers typically negotiate discounts for bulk orders, however, especially in tough economic times. Delivery of the planes is scheduled to begin in 2017.
Sunday’s signing by the CEOs of both companies solidified a deal anticipated by a memorandum of understanding announced in July.