Airbus kicked off Farnborough 2018 with a series of orders, confirmations and commitments on the opening day, mainly for A320neos:

• An affiliate of Macquarie AirFinance Group Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Macquarie Group Limited, listed in Australia, placed a firm order for 20 A320neo aircraft to add to its existing portfolio of 119 Airbus aircraft (110 A320 Family and nine A330).

• Airbus signed an MoU with an unnamed lessor for 80 A320neo Family aircraft.

• Dublin-based Goshawk Aviation Limited, the 50/50 joint venture between Hong Kong-based conglomerate NWS Holdings Limited and Chow Tai Fook Enterprises Limited, placed a firm order for 20 A320neos.

• Golden Falcon Aviation, the exclusive aircraft provider of Kuwait's Wataniya Airways, confirmed an order for 25 Airbus A320neo family aircraft. The order follows an MoU announced at last year’s Dubai Airshow.

• Starlux Airlines of Taiwan signed an MoU for the purchase of 17 aircraft, comprising 12 A350-1000s and five A350-900s. The news follows a decision by the airline earlier this year also to select Airbus for its regional single-aisle fleet, with a plan to finalise leases for 10 A321neo aircraft from third-party lessors by the end of the year.

• Vistara, the New Delhi-based carrier, has signed a letter of Intent (LoI) for 13 A320neo aircraft to add to its existing portfolio of 21 Airbus aircraft, and also committed to an additional 37 A320neo Family aircraft from lessors.

• Airbus also confirmed that Sichuan Airlines, based in the Southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu, has selected the A350 XWB to become the latest aircraft in its fleet, under a deal announced earlier this year. Sichuan Airlines operates the largest all-Airbus fleet in China, with over 130 aircraft. The airline also leased four A350 XWBs, with the first one to be delivered by this year.