Even if Boeing could not catch up with Airbus in terms of commercial aircraft sales at the Dubai Airshow 2019, the U.S. manufacturer sold almost a hundred aircraft. Actually, the Seattle-based company signed orders, commitments and agreements for 95 commercial airplanes, valued at more than $17.4 billion at list prices.

Several airlines showed their appeal for the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. The aircraft’s new customers are Biman Bangladesh Airlines, which ordered 2 Dreamliners, and the Republic of Ghana — which intends to re-launch a national airline — signing a MoU for three of them. Not to mention the very popular Emirates Airlines for taking thirty 787-9 — as a conversion of a Boeing 777X order — as well as fifty Airbus A350 aircraft. In addition, Boeing and its partner AerCap announced EGYPTAIR is leasing two additional 787-9 Dreamliner airplanes, while Etihad Airways selected the aircraft to serve as a test bed for assessing environmental sustainability initiatives.

Nevertheless, the Dreamliner was not the only aircraft of the U.S. manufacturer to get attention as Boeing surprisingly got orders for the 737 MAX. Indeed, Air Astana announced its intention to order 30 Boeing 737 MAX 8 airplanes. The aircraft — with a list price value of $3.6 billion — are intended to serve as the backbone of its new low-cost airline FlyArystan, launched in May 2019. Air Astana says the new airline has seen strong ticket sales in just the first few months of operation. The plan is to expand the fast growing domestic network, with international services to Moscow commencing next month. But the demand for the Boeing 737 MAX 8 is not only coming from the flag carrier of Kazakhstan. SunExpress — a joint venture between Lufthansa and Turkish Airlines — exercised options for 10 additional aircraft of the type. The purchase, valued at $1.2 billion according to list prices, adds to a previous SunExpress order for 32 MAX airplanes. Jens Bischof, CEO of SunExpress, commented: “We have full confidence that Boeing will deliver us a safe, reliable, and efficient aircraft. However, it goes without saying that this requires the undisputed airworthiness of the model, granted by all relevant authorities.” Finally, in addition to the Kazakh airline Air Astana and the Turkish airline SunExpress, Boeing got an order for 20 737 MAX airplanes from an undisclosed customer.

Besides, during this Dubai Airshow 2019, Boeing “focused on safety, innovation and partnerships in the growing Middle East market, while demonstrating its commitment to the safe return to service of the 737 MAX. ”