Karen Walker
Two regional jet manufacturers; two $1billion dollar contract announcements; and the same customer. But the atmosphere at each press conference yesterday could not have been more of a contrast.
American Airlines' subsidiary AMR Eagle's decision to purchase its 50-seat regional jets from Embraer and its 70-seaters from Bombardier clearly disappointed Bombardier, which had hoped to win both deals.
Smiles
Embraer's announcement came first and company president Mauricio Botelho and his management team were all smiles as they announced an order for 42 of its EMB-145 50-seat jets, plus options on 25 more.
Peter Pappas, AMR's vice-president, planning, was warm in his praise of Embraer staff and the aircraft. "The EMB-145 is very efficient, and very capable. It is a terrific aircraft," he says.
Then it was Bombardier's turn. Pappas moved into another press conference room to join a tense-looking Bombardier management team for the announcement that AMR Eagle is launch customer for its 70-seat CRJ-700. AMR Eagle plans to buy 25 aircraft and has options on 25 more.
Pappas says the -700 appealed because it will clearly be the first and the best 70-seater in the market, but American has not been convinced that a sufficient level of commonality with the 50-seat CRJ exists to justify a single-source purchase.
"There was a bit of disagreement with Bombardier about the extent of commonality," he admits.
Bombardier chairman Laurent Beaudoin later said he was convinced the CRJ had outperformed the EMB-145 at a fly-off.
"At the end of the day it came down to price. I think the price that was offered by Embraer was definitely one we were not willing to match. It was very low. We are a commercially viable organisation and we want to stay that way," Beaudoin says.
Source: Flight Daily News
