Leeham News and Analysis
There's more to real news than a news release.
Airbus dominates orders, commitments on Day 2 of Dubai Air Show
Nov. 18, 2025, © Leeham News News: Airbus notched orders on Day 2 of the Dubai Air Show. Boeing announced a small deals today.
The European OEM gained a new customer, flipping from Boeing, with a major deal from flydubai. Flydubai signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for 150 A321neos.
Etihad Airways ordered six A330-900s, becoming a new A330neo customer. The carrier also ordered seven more A350-1000s, bringing its total for the type to 27, and three A350Fs, for a total of 10 aircraft.
Etihad also announced the commitment to lease nine A330-900s from Avolon.
Air Europa signed an MOU with Airbus for up to 40 A350-900s. It becomes a new A350 customer. The airline’s long haul fleet is currently Boeing 787s.
Ethiopian Airlines ordered six more A350-900s.
Boeing
Gulf Air announced today that it finalized a previously announced firm order for 15 787s with options for three more. This brings its total 787 orders to 17.
De Havilland
De Havilland Canada and IndiaOne Air, a regional airline, signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) to acquire up to 10 Twin Otter Series 300-G aircraft.
More Dubai Air Show coverage
LNA’s partner AIN is on site at the Dubai Air Show. Full coverage may be found here. Links to AIN’s air show dailies may be found on that page.
Flightglobal posted an article of Boeing Middle East sales in 2025.
https://www.flightglobal.com/airframers/the-year-middle-east-carriers-lined-up-to-buy-boeing-widebody-jets/165261.article
“Since taking office in January, Trump, pursuing his “America first” agenda, has used Boeing jets as tools of leverage, pushing trading partners to place orders – with great success. Again and again, countries and their airlines have committed to buy Boeing jets as part of trade agreements with the USA.
“You’ll notice a constant trend: where there is a Trump trade deal, there’s a Boeing sale,” US Treasury secretary Scott Bessent said on 7 November. “This administration backs Boeing because Boeing backs America.”
Ortberg last month presented Trump with the “salesman of the year award, in the Oval Office”, Bessent adds.”
A big, game changing development in international aerospace.
The let go of WTO’s goal a system of rules for open and fair international trade, which is achieved through lowering trade barriers, establishing global rules, and resolving disputes among its 164 member governments.
I guess other countries and blocks will soon follow this road mapmoving ahead.
do Trumps successes go beyond declarations of intent?
( i.e. do they transform into tangible contracts?
afaics the advertised large Korean investment in the US is dead in the water after that ICE caper )