Boeing's CEO pulled out of the Paris Air Show following the Air India crash, which has set a somber mood for the aviation and defense event at Le Bourget.

AviLease, which is backed by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, kicked off the show with an order for 30 A321 narrow-body aircraft, with options for 25 more, as well as 10 A350 freight planes and 12 options. Last month, it announced an order of 30 Boeing 737 Max jets during US President Donald Trump’s tour of the Middle East.

Airbus bagged multibillion-dollar plane orders from Saudi Arabia and Poland on the opening day of the Paris Airshow clouded by a separate diplomatic dispute over France's decision to shut down some Israeli stands for displaying deadly weapons.

Following the devastating Air India Boeing 787 crash in Ahmedabad, which claimed nearly 300 lives, Airbus emphasized that safety trumps competition. Christian Scherer, Airbus CCO, stated the tragedy is a reminder of aviation's inherent risks and the industry's commitment to preventing future accidents.

Airbus SE has urged the aviation industry to enhance its safety culture following a tragic Air India crash involving a Boeing 787, underscoring the incident as a critical wake-up call rather than a competitive advantage.

Airbus SE predicted the global commercial aircraft fleet will double in size to almost 50,000 planes over the next 20 years, spurred by rapid growth in markets like India, where a rising middle class increasingly takes to air travel.

Airbus secured major orders on day one of the Paris Air Show as Boeing scaled back its presence following the Air India crash.

The plane manufacturer said that the growth in air travel will require 43,400 new passenger and freighter aircraft deliveries over the next 20 years.

Air India, in its current form, has maintained a more balanced fleet, having taken delivery of 122 Boeing aircraft and 114 Airbus planes between 2006 and 2025