Metamorphosis

The arrival of Airbus’s newest single-aisle offering, the A220, into Toulouse in July marked the first skirmish in a looming new sales war between the European planemaker and its US rival Boeing. But questions remain over whether Airbus’s decision to take control of the former Bombardier C Series program is a mark of genius… or a big risk.

As senior Airbus executives awaited the arrival of their latest single-aisle jet at Toulouse-Blagnac Airport in France on July 10, gathered aviation media from around the world were aware it was formerly the made-in-Canada Bombardier C Series regional jet. What it would be rechristened was anybody’s guess. There was, however, no doubt about Airbus’s new-found enthusiasm for a plane that fits into a sector – the regional jet market – it has, along with rival Boeing, essentially ignored for years.

“I need to sell the aircraft and that is my job under the leadership of Airbus chief commercial officer Eric Schultz,” declared David Dufrenois, Head of Sales for the new offering, at a pre-arrival press conference.