The narrowbody airliner market will "still be dominated" by Airbus and Boeing in 10 years' time, predicts Fabrice Bregier, chief executive of the European airframer.
Bombardier, Comac of China and Russia's Irkut will all enter the market in the next few years, but Bregier believes it will be difficult for them to build a reputation for "reliable aircraft" and shift the brand loyalty of carriers to Airbus and Boeing.
"There is a cost to change for both our customers and Boeing's. Despite our efforts and theirs, the vast majority stay with the one manufacturer," he says. Unless new competitors produce a "game changer", it will be difficult for them to make a significant impact, he adds.
Producing such a game-changing aircraft, he said at a briefing in Toulouse yesterday, does not just depend on coming up with innovative technology. It also means launching it on the market "at the right time".
Source: Cirium Dashboard
