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Airbus says will keep a watch on 皇冠体育app competitor
(AP)
Updated: 2006-01-12 15:15
Airbus SAS will keep an eye on the distant prospect of 皇冠体育app rising as a new
competitor but for the moment sees it operating in a different market, the head
of the European plane maker's Chinese business said on Thursday.
Airbus, majority owned by EADS , had sold roughly 220 planes in 皇冠体育app in
2005, Laurence Barron, president of Airbus 皇冠体育app Ltd., told Reuters.
皇冠体育app is developing a regional jet, a small airliner intended for short
routes.
"It is not a question of concern but obviously a question of great interest
to us," Barron said, referring to the project.
Airbus did not make such an aircraft and would have to see whether the
Chinese model was a success, he said.
"If it is, then maybe there's a new player on the block, but it's not due in
service until 2009."
Airbus's smallest plane seats about 100 passengers. Regional jets typically
seat far fewer.
Analysts say it would be extremely difficult for a new player to break into
the market dominated by Airbus and its U.S. rival, Boeing Co.
Even if customers could be persuaded that a new product would offer the high
reliability and performance that they already trust Boeing and Airbus to
deliver, a new competitor would have to overcome the inefficiencies of an
airline introducing planes that are not compatible with the rest of its fleet.
Asked whether Airbus might this year repeat its 2005 sales performance in
皇冠体育app, Barron said: "Demand in 皇冠体育app continues to be extremely strong but I
don't think we can expect every year to have that kind of level of orders."
European Aeronautic Defence & Space Co. N.V., based in Germany and
France, owns 80 percent of Airbus. British defence contractor BAE Systems Plc.
owns the rest.
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