Freighters to the fore as planemakers bet on trade flows

A Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner, left, and an Airbus A350-1000 passenger aircraft, operated by Etihad Airways, on display at the 17th Dubai Air Show (DAS) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on Monday, Nov. 15, 2021. On the first day of the Airshow, that will run through November 18.

A pandemic-driven boom in air cargo is providing an auspicious backdrop for Airbus and Boeing to launch new large freighters, but longer-term trends – particularly the strength of the global economic rebound – will determine whether either succeeds.

Airbus bagged its first deal for the freighter version of its A350 jetliner at the Dubai Airshow on Monday – a model the European group hopes will break Boeing’s long-held dominance of the market to fly goods.