These integrated ecosystems have been the backbone of the global fleet of over 12,000 aircraft. It will be a high entry barrier for COMAC to enter these solid industrial partnerships with their own footprint.
SHAKING UP INCUMBENTS’ BEHAVIOUR
And then there are the potential customers. Airbus and Boeing have been able to live the advantages of their duopoly to the fullest, enjoying a 10-year order backlog until 2019. The companies may not have focused on understanding customer needs as much as airlines and lessors wanted to – but this could change.
COMAC has the unique opportunity to shake up any complacent behaviour if it can understand customers’ existing and future pain points: Design, pricing, hyperconnectivity, customisation and seamless service are on the “improve” list of customers who could always be more satisfied.
Airbus and Boeing have increased close collaboration in recent years with airports and end-to-end journey consultancy firms, like Surbana Jurong in Singapore. Inspired by such independent thinking, Changi Airport Terminal 5 is planned as a fully integrated passenger experience.
Considering Airbus and Boeing each carried well over 1 billion passengers per year pre-pandemic, it astounded marketeers and consumers alike why they would “neglect” 2 billion captive assets?
The official answer was, mostly, that passengers “belonged” to airlines. Historically, Airbus and Boeing define themselves as manufacturers and service providers of aircraft and were careful not to cross into the territory of their airline and fleet customers.
