a day ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
China edges closer to Airbus mega-deal, leaving Boeing out in the cold: analysts
China may be on the verge of placing another lucrative order with European aerospace giant Airbus, potentially for at least 100 to 200 new aircraft – even as some Chinese airlines remain heavily reliant on US rival Boeing's jets.
Europe has emerged as China's go-to source for overseas commercial aircraft in recent years. Boeing, once a major supplier, has not secured a major order from China since 2017 – casting a
shadow over its future in the world's second-largest economy amid turbulent trade ties between Beijing and Washington.
In that time, the company has also suffered reputational setbacks marked by worker strikes, financial losses and crashes – including the recent
Air India disaster that killed at least 270 people aboard a Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
Now, as Beijing's geopolitical and aviation safety concerns push Chinese buyers towards Airbus and even the home-grown
Comac C919 passenger plane, analysts warn Boeing's absence from China's recent plane-buying spree could leave some airlines in the lurch.
'Buying from Airbus makes a lot of sense now, both commercially and diplomatically … But carriers with Boeing-only fleets are caught on the back foot,' said Brian Yang Bo, an aviation industry veteran and independent consultant.