Alexander Cornwell, Tim Hepher

DUBAI, Reuters – At the Dubai Airshow on Sunday, planemakers presented new cargoer plans.   

As e-commerce gains momentum from the worldwide pandemic, the world’s largest plane giants Airbus (NYSE:), are planning to fly the West’s first new flying juggernauts for 25 years.   

Airbus is still without a buyer after launching a cargo version of its A350 in the summer. Sources said that Steven Udvar Hazy’s Air Lease Corporation (NYSE:) Corp was knocking on their door.   

They said that a deal could include passenger jets as well, and they added that the long-awaited launch of freighters had to be completed.   

According to industry publication The Air Current, Air Lease will be one of the first customers for A350 long-haul freighter along with an unspecified cargo company.   

Airbus did not comment on the opening ceremony of Dubai Airshow, which was the first day for the Middle East trade event. Air Lease didn’t immediately reply to our request for comment.   

A proposed A350 cargo plane would be up against the 777X passenger-series cargo variant of Boeing’s 747X, which is a twin-engined replacement to the recently-ceased 747.

The cargo variant has yet to be launched by Boeing, but analysts predict it will in the near future as Boeing negotiates with potential buyers such as Qatar Airways.    

Akbar Al Baker is currently embroiled with Airbus in a dispute about the A350 passenger planes’ quality. He stated in June that Qatar had been in talks over a possible freighter 777X.   

In typical showmaking, freighters replaced the jumbo passenger planes at the event. This is a sign that the industry has regained its passenger growth after two years due to COVID-19’s global decline in travel.

Contrary to the passenger market and the slowdown in the global economy, the air freight industry is growing. However, the cargo movement has been limited by the constraints of the global supply chain.

MILITARY DELEGATIONS 

The freight boom is also affecting converted passenger jets. Reykjavik-headquartered lessor Icelease announced an order for 11 Boeing 737-800 converted freighters on Sunday.   

Magnus Stephensen was Chief Operating Officer and stated that the demand for freighters will increase even though passenger flights are being grounded because of the pandemic. He also said that the cargo holdings would be used to put back the capacity they have in the market.

He said that “The COVID epidemic has altered the cargo environment for the worse.” E-commerce has completely changed the outlook.   

Diplomats and military officials also met as diplomats said that the Gulf states, along with their neighbours, are questioning Washington’s commitment to this region after a withdrawal from Afghanistan.   

Washington remains the most important security partner of the six Gulf Arab nations, including Saudi Arabia and UAE. But European countries are seeking to strengthen their position.   

U.S. U.S.    

Israel is the first country to be represented at the exhibition after it established diplomatic ties last year with the UAE.   

Russia’s Sukhoi Su-75 Su-75 “Checkmate” fighter will be presented to Washington as part of the deal. This is in response to Israel’s diplomatic ties.

U.S. senators are seeking more control over arms deals and assurances that Israeli security won’t be undermined by sales of weapons to the Middle East.