Le BOURGET, France — Boeing kept a low profile at this year's Paris Air Show, an industry event where aerospace giants gather to discuss, showcase and strategize the future of flying.

But the airplane manufacturer was still top of mind. A 787 crash that left hundreds dead just days before the trade show was a solemn reminder of safety's importance to the industry, even without any clear indication of what went wrong.

Boeing did not make any announcements at the air show, which wraps up Friday, and for the most part did not participate in scheduled panels and events. CEO Kelly Ortberg and head of commercial airplanes Stephanie Pope did not attend.

Boeing executives and representatives who did attend wore gold pins in the shape of Air India's logo. The company placed red and white flowers at the entrance to its "chalet," the makeshift buildings businesses set up with conference rooms, patios and display cases. Boeing's air show home base had a sign that read: "Honoring all those affected by Air India Flight 171."

The Air India crash of course changed the company's approach to the show, Chris Raymond, the head of Boeing's aftermarket and digital services business, said in an interview.

This year was meant to be Boeing's recovery year, after six years of turmoil that started with two fatal 737 Max crashes in 2018 and 2019. Then, in January 2024, a panel flew off an Alaska Airlines 737 Max 9, reigniting scrutiny and delaying Boeing's recovery once more.

"Our posture at the show was really going to be what we're trying to do to improve inside the company," Raymond said. "Then, of course, when something happens like Air India, obviously that gives everybody even more pause and reminds you of the consequences of what we do."

Raymond said he attended the show with Boeing's interim head of defense Steve Parker at Ortberg's request.

Raymond and other Boeing executives are limited in what they can say about the crash while it is being investigated. But Boeing, he added, will "do what we need to do as that investigation gets underway."

Other companies — from Boeing rival Airbus to supplier Honeywell Aerospace — acknowledged the tragedy as they opened their own events to talk about the state of the industry or product updates. They offered condolences to those who lost loved ones and said an event like this shakes the entire industry, no matter the cause.

Washington state Rep. Strom Peterson, an Edmonds Democrat, came to the air show to drum up business for his community but, as he did so, his mind was back home.

The Air India tragedy must have affected all Boeing employees, but particularly those in Everett, Peterson said. The Air India 787 that crashed was one of Boeing's early Dreamliners built in Everett, before Boeing consolidated 787 production in its South Carolina factory.

"A lot of people in my district may have worked on that plane," Peterson said. "It's a huge tragedy for the people of India but the ripple effects are industrywide and they're certainly felt in Snohomish County."

Inside the air show

As Boeing and 787 engine maker General Electric limited public appearances at the air show, the rest of the mini city that sprung up at Le Bourget Airport boomed with life.

Golf carts whisked suit-clad businessmen and women to meetings with potential partners, customers and investors. Suppliers filled five pavilions with booths showcasing their products. Military jets flew overhead, interrupting presentations and bringing swarms of people outside to videotape the swirling action.

What was once the airport's tarmac was filled with aircraft on display, including a Riyadh Air Boeing 787 and a 747, the Everett-built "queen of the sky" that is now out of production, from the air show's air and space museum.

Air taxi companies made sweeping promises about ushering in the next wave of air mobility and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced a new "road map" to bring those futuristic planes to the sky.

Aerospace executives talked about a future with hybrid-electric planes, hydrogen fuel and more efficient engines, all of which aim to reduce carbon emissions in the industry but face skepticism on how likely they are to come to fruition.

But the 2025 Paris Air Show was widely considered quieter than most.

There was uncertainty about what the tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump could mean for the industry and concern about the possibility of retaliatory taxes from the EU.

The conflict between Israel and Iran, which escalated just days before the air show kicked off, led some attendees to cancel their plans, including the president of the Dubai-based airline, Emirates.

On the first day of the show, representatives from France and Israel clashed when air show officials put tall, black barricades around some of Israel's defense exhibits. French officials reportedly said the exhibits were offensive because of the violence in Gaza.

Commercial and defense opportunities

Despite all the somber notes — Air India, the Middle East, the tariffs — airplane manufacturers still celebrated new orders.

Brazilian manufacturer Embraer announced an order for 60 planes from SkyWest, a regional airline, which will operate some of the new jets for Delta.

Airbus, Boeing's European rival, secured 250 orders over three days of announcements. But that is lower than its average of 380 orders during the last 10 air shows, according to an investor note from RBC Capital Markets.

Boeing did not announce any orders at the show due to the Air India crash. Leading up to the event, though, analysts expected Boeing would be more subdued than its counterparts because it was coming off a major order month. In May, Boeing booked 303 gross orders, including 150 from Qatar Airways announced during Trump's visit to the Middle East.

Airbus, meanwhile, held on to its orders for the big event, announcing zero in May.

Year to date, Airbus and Boeing are nearly tied for aircraft orders. The European manufacturer has 541 while the American manufacturer has 552, RBC Capital said.

This year, the defense industry took a front-row seat at what is usually a commercial-focused show, as Europe works to scale up its defense infrastructure.

That's something that's been happening for a while, according to Mike Vallillo, the vice president for international defense and space at Honeywell Aerospace Technologies. There's been a "trend of 'we want to be more in control of our own destiny, so we don't have to ask for permission,'" mainly from the United States, Vallillo said, adding that it's a "natural evolution," rather than a response to the current U.S. administration.

At this year's Paris Air Show, it was an opportunity for companies all over the world, including the U.S., to market their products, knowing there was heightened interest.

'The 737 Max all over again'

More than a week after the Air India crash, it's still not clear what led the plane to stop climbing just moments after takeoff and slam into a medical hostel building about a mile from the airport.

India's civil aviation authority is leading the investigation, with support from the U.S. and the U.K.

Boeing and General Electric both said they are prepared to support investigators, as well.

Initial speculation about what went wrong has focused on the plane's engines, the flaps and slats on the edges of the wings and whether the pilots may have made a mistake.

Bjorn Fehrm, an analyst with the aviation consulting firm Leeham News, said it appears possible that both engines failed, but added that is an extremely rare occurrence. But, he continued, a dual-engine failure would be the "worst-case scenario" for Boeing and GE.

"That would start the 737 Max (scenario) all over again," Fehrm said, referring to monetary penalties, regulatory scrutiny, legal action, reputational damage and institutional trauma that Boeing is still dealing with today.

If the crash was a result of pilot error, contaminated fuel, a maintenance problem or other outside factors, it likely wouldn't have any impact on Boeing or GE, Fehrm added.

Either way, investigators likely won't release preliminary findings until they are "100% sure that they don't miscommunicate anything," Fehrm said.

On Wednesday, Air India said it had inspected 26 of its 33 787 planes and had cleared them to return to service. The fact that those inspections did not uncover any concerns about other 787 planes "gives reassurance in the safety measures and procedures that we follow," the airline said in a statement.

Yet Air India also said Wednesday it would expand the safety checks to include its 777 fleet.

Preparing to listen

For Boeing, the Paris Air Show and other industry events this year are a chance to listen, Raymond, the head of Boeing Global Services, told a small group of reporters in the company's chalet.

These types of events are an "efficient meeting ground," Raymond said. "For us, it's been super important to listen. ... What do they think of us? It doesn't matter what we think of us."

A year ago at another trade event, Raymond said it was hard to learn what people thought of Boeing. This year, when he attended the same event with Pope, the head of commercial airplanes, Raymond said the tone had shifted in Boeing's favor.

"They want us to succeed," Raymond said. "They want Boeing to be back in the marketplace and healthy and predictable.

"Our job is to try to convey what we're doing to get better."

Raymond, who has worked at Boeing for 35 years and held 21 different roles, said Boeing used to mistakenly try to "grow for growth's sake" and leaned into some "bad behavior" that prioritized the "top line" — total revenue — over anything else.

Now, under Ortberg's leadership, Boeing will be more principled in its decisions, Raymond said. When it considers a new project, Ortberg will want to know that the company knows what it's doing and "has a right to play in a certain market."

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