File photo used for illustrative purposes
The global aviation industry requires a third — or even a fourth — major manufacturer of passenger jets to tackle aircraft shortages and disrupt the apparent duopoly of Airbus and Boeing, according to the CEO of Dubai-based carrier flydubai. Ghaith Al Ghaith made these remarks at the inaugural Aviation Future Week, which commenced on Tuesday.
“Having another aircraft manufacturer is crucial to fostering competition and resolving the bottleneck and extensive delays in aircraft delivery schedules,” Al Ghaith stated during a panel discussion titled Optimising Traffic Demand in a Constrained Environment. When asked if he welcomes the entry of the Chinese-made Comac C919 into the market, he responded: “More competition is very beneficial for our industry.”
In July this year, flydubai announced that they were assessing their “route development plans and potential frequency revisions across the network due to a shortage of new aircraft deliveries over the next few months”. The Dubai-based carrier highlighted: “The unpredictability of aircraft delivery schedules from Boeing over the past few years has exerted significant pressure on the carrier and its ability to effectively plan for its projected growth.”
Meanwhile, China-made Comac is striving to penetrate a passenger jet market dominated by Airbus and Boeing — with the latter planning to reduce its global workforce by 17,000 jobs following a month-long strike.
