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PARIS: The world's biggest aviation industry gathering, the Paris Air Show, will kick off on Monday amid concerns of a meltdown in the industry.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) revealed last week that airlines could face losses of up to US$9 billion this year, with Asian carriers expected to lose some US$3.3 billion.
Some aviation experts say the aviation event, which takes place in Le Bourget in Paris, will be subdued compared to previous air shows in Paris, and some do not even expect any major sales announcements.
Adding more gloom at the event is the recent Air France plane crash in the Atlantic Ocean, killing everyone on board. The plane that went down is one of Airbus's most popular and profitable models - the A330.
Many say the debate on the safety of the model may crop up again during the biennial Paris Air Show. However, many airlines have come forward in defence of the model.
The sector for business jets is also not looking good at the moment, with two big US companies, Gulfstream and Cessna, not taking part.
And against this bleak backdrop, organisers of the Singapore Air Show will be pushing forward to woo more customers and exhibitors for its own show, which will be held in 2010.
The Singapore team have already seen 90 per cent of its showground space booked. And they will be using the Paris Air Show as a platform to go all out in a bid to secure the remaining 10 per cent.
The Singapore Air Show's managing director, Jimmy Lau, said he is in Paris to chase some contracts the company has been working on, as well as to focus on SMEs and new entrants to the industry.
According to him, 60 of the top 100 aviation companies from the Forbes list have signed up for the Singapore Air Show.
Things may look bullish at the moment for Singapore, but there is still some time before the 2010 Singapore Air Show kicks off and it is hard to say if the already gloomy aviation forecasts will get worse.
Mr Lau said there is a small chance of customers pulling out even though they may have put in their deposits, but he remains very confident such scenarios will be unlikely.
He said: "Yes, there is always that possibility, but what our customers have been telling us is that the show in Singapore is an important show for them... They are not stuck at looking what the economy or the aviation industry is going through.
"By and large, those whom I have spoken to, they are pretty upbeat that the business will turn around for them towards the end of the year or the second quarter of next year."
This year's Paris Air Show will also allow Singapore organisers a chance to learn from the more experienced French, who are celebrating the 100th anniversary of the aviation bonanza.
Mr Lau said his team will especially be looking at how the French will be managing the tremendous human traffic, with some 300,000 visitors expected.
He also expects the cost of running the Singapore Air Show next year to go up by 10 per cent. Last year, the Singapore show cost some S$20 million to organise.
Besides the Singapore Airshow organizers, there is a sizeable Singapore contingent taking part in the Paris Air Show, with companies including ST Engineering and ST Aerospace, as well as Singapore's Economic Development Board and JTC.
Mr Lau said JTC is in Paris to promote the Seletar Aerospace Park, which is scheduled to be ready by 2018.
- CNA/yt
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