The Globe and Mail reports in its Wednesday edition that India dominated the Paris Airshow for a second day on Tuesday, as Air India finalized a huge order for 470 planes from Airbus and Boeing. A Reuters dispatch to The Globe says that the agreement was the largest ever plane deal by number of aircraft, but it was surpassed on day one of the Paris show by Indian rival IndiGo's order for 500 Airbus narrow-body jets. Finalizing the deal puts it in the aerospace industry's order backlogs as firm orders. Until now, it was only a preliminary deal. Air India said it was worth $70-billion (U.S.) at list prices. Efforts by Indian airlines to keep pace with the world's fastest-growing aviation market, serving the largest population, have sent industry records tumbling even though manufacturers are struggling to meet output goals owing to supply chain snags. Reuters notes that some analysts have expressed concern that airlines could be over-ordering jets in pursuit of the same passengers. Air India's deal includes 250 planes from Airbus and 220 from Boeing. The Airbus part comprises 210 A320neo and A321neo narrow-body jets and 40 A350 wide-bodies. Airlines generally are also keen to add more fuel-efficient new models.
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