Airbus makes order comeback on second day of Dubai Air Show

Airbus SE managed a comeback on the second day of the Dubai Air Show, reeling in deals with local carriers Etihad Airways and Flydubai and an accord for its A350 widebody model from Air Europa.

The agreements injected fresh momentum back into Airbus after Boeing Co. dominated the first day with a huge order for 65 777X aircraft valued at $38 billion from Emirates.

The memorandum of understanding from Flydubai for 150 A321neo planes on Tuesday gave Airbus the added satisfaction of winning a client that had so far only purchased from Boeing. The companies didn’t announce an order value.

This year’s Dubai show follows a familiar rhythm, whereby Emirates puts down a marker on the first day with a splashy deal, and other accords follow into Tuesday and Wednesday. Airlines in the Middle East are among the biggest operators of long-range aircraft like the A350 or Boeing’s 777, making the region an important battleground for the jet-manufacturing duopoly.

Spanish airline Air Europa also signed a memorandum of understanding with Airbus for as many as 40 A350-900 widebody aircraft, while Etihad added A330 and more A350 jets to its fleet.

Boeing, meanwhile, said that Gulf Air firmed up a deal for 15 787 Dreamliner models. The pace of orders tends to trail off after the first two days, though past shows have surprised with last-minute announcements as teams negotiate into the night to get agreements over the line.