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Airbus (OTCPK:EADSF) isn’t too worried about China’s first homegrown airliner, which some say could eventually threaten the Western aerospace duopoly.
Comac’s (state-run Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China) C919 is “not going to rock the boat in particular,” Christian Scherer, CEO of Airbus’ (OTCPK:EADSF) commercial aircraft business, said during a media roundtable on the sidelines of the Singapore Airshow.
The C919 “looks a bit like an Airbus (OTCPK:EADSF) narrowbody,” he noted, as reported by Aviation Week Network.
However, Scherer said the European aircraft maker would consider Comac as a rival in the future, adding that “the market is large enough for competition.” To note, China is Airbus’ (OTCPK:EADSF) biggest market in the Asia-Pacific region.
The C919 – similar to Boeing’s (BA) 737 and the Airbus (OTCPK:EADSF) 320- made its international air show debut in Singapore, where Tibet Airlines finalized an order for 40 C919 carriers. The aircraft entered commercial service with China Eastern Airlines (OTCPK:CHEAF) in May 2023.
Scherer’s comments come amid continued safety concerns over Boeing’s (BA) 737 Max, while the broader aviation industry is grappling with supply-chain constraints.
