As the second day of the 
Dubai Airshow 2025 begins to wind down, it’s time to take a look back at Tuesday’s top stories. While the first day of the event was dominated by Boeing, it was Airbus, the US planemaker’s European rival, that took center stage today, securing multiple orders from Middle Eastern giants.
Elsewhere, Ethiopian Airlines followed up its strong start to the show with news of both an aircraft order and a lease deal, while 
Boeing has continued to tie up various bits and bobs on the sidelines. Without further ado, let’s see who the main movers and shakers were on the second day of the Dubai Airshow!
A Big Day For Airbus In The Middle East
All in all, Airbus was the star of the show today, announcing two major Middle Eastern orders as the 2025 Dubai Airshow got back up and running for its second day. First and foremost, as pictured above, it shook hands with Abu Dhabi-based UAE flag carrier Etihad Airways on a multifaceted order involving the A330neo, A350-1000, and A350F models. The A330neo will be a new model for Etihad, which is buying six and leasing another nine.
Shortly afterward, the UAE-based all-Boeing low-cost carrier and Emirates partner flydubai announced that it would be looking at ordering Airbus jets for the first time, having signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for 150 A321neos. The deal is valued at $24 billion, and deliveries will begin in 2031, with the goal of fueling growth out of Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) in Dubai. Christian Scherer, Airbus’ Commercial CEO, said that:
” The decision to invest in and introduce the A321neo into its fleet is another endorsement of the added value Airbus brings in terms of range, efficiency, and passenger comfort.”
Ethiopian Airlines Made Multiple Headlines
Moving away from customers that are based in the Middle East, Airbus made it a hat-trick later on in the day when it confirmed that Ethiopian Airlines had put its name down for another six examples of the A350-900. Africa’s largest airline is a big fan of the next-generation widebody, and already flies 25 A350s across two variants. Separately from this deal, Spain’s Air Europa also signed an MoU for up to 40 A350-900s today.
The good news didn’t end there for Ethiopian Airlines, as ATR confirmed that the Star Alliance member had also put pen to paper on a lease deal for two brand-new examples of the ATR 72-600 turboprop. These aircraft will enter service in February 2026 and be operated by Air Congo, with the intention of supporting domestic connectivity in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The country, ATR says, is “emerging as a strategic market.”
Of course, Ethiopian Airlines had already made headlines on the first day of the Dubai Airshow by ordering another 11 examples of the Boeing 737 MAX 8, despite its challenging history with the type. Its commitment to Airbus, Boeing, and ATR signals its intentions of becoming an even larger and more diverse carrier, as it looks to retain its crown as not only the largest airline in Africa by fleet size, but also the one with the youngest aircraft.
The Best Of The Rest
While Boeing hasn’t been front and center today as far as the main headlines are concerned, the US-based planemaker has still been the subject of several important deals. For example, as seen above, AerCap announced at the show today that South African low-cost carrier FlySafair had signed a lease agreement for five Boeing 737 family jets. This figure is split between three from the 737 MAX series and two from the 737NG series.
The other big news involving Boeing saw Bahrain flag carrier Gulf Air sign a definitive purchase agreement for up to 18 examples of the 787 Dreamliner. While, when initially announced in July, this deal had consisted of 12 firm orders and six options, the balance has now tipped to 15 firm orders and three options. If the first two days are anything to go by, there will surely be plenty more action at the show tomorrow – we’ll see you then!
