Last week was a busy one for Asia-Pacific narrowbody aircraft operations. It was announced that Malaysia's SKS Airways selected 10 Embraer E195-E2s to become the first airline in Southeast Asia to fly the plane. Following this, the COMAC C919 finally entered service.As such, Embraer has been keeping a close eye on the developments in the region. Notably, the company has been gaining ground, following a series of key orders.
Increasing presence
In February, Singapore's Scoot announced it will take on nine E190-E2s to become the first airline based in Singapore to fly the model. The low-cost carrier highlighted that the aircraft will help support its growth in this next chapter.
Following a question about growth in Asia asked by Simple Flying in a presentation attended by journalists in Lisbon, Embraer Commercial Aviation president and CEO Arjan Meijer explained the following:
“We do see that in Asia, when one airline moves in a new direction, the other ones are looking. We already see that happening. We announced the deal with SKS this week, and immediately, you see the attraction in Asia. They say 'hey, why is this airline moving in this new direction? Why is Scoot moving in that direction?'”
Regardless of the buzz in the Asia-Pacific, the opportunities are worldwide. There's no specific region, whether it's Africa, Asia, or Europe. However, the firm does believe that with the movements being made in Asia, there is more traction in this area, including in China. The below image emphasizes Embraer's expansive presence across the continents.
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Local activity
So, with significant progress being made in Asia, the ball is now firmly rolling for Embraer in the region. However, there is a spanner in the works that, at first glance, could impact expansion. The C919 was introduced on Sunday, four years after making its maiden flight. With the homegrown Chinese aircraft now in the skies commercially, it’s full steam ahead for the program.
Handling narrowbody operations, the C919 is set to conduct numerous short and medium-haul services in China. Eventually, it is expected to be seen on many additional routes. After all, COMAC has said that there are already 1,200 orders for the aircraft.
Nonetheless, Embraer actually welcomes the presence of COMAC’s jets. The Brazilian manufacturer feels that the planes of the two companies can work well together, feeding different legs of airline operations.
“So, COMAC has the lower end ARJ21, and then the C919. We believe the E190-E2/195-E2 could well complement the China market. The E190-E2, with an excellent modern high performance is absolutely incredible. That aircraft can fly to higher regions and really connect the mainland in an excellent way at a very low-cost level. And E195-E2 - the seat cost attractiveness of an aircraft to connect smaller cities in China - it's a great complement to their local product. So, we believe they could perfectly coexist.”
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Strong prospects
There is plenty of potential to be had all across Asia. Along with China’s recovery, India is going through a substantial domestic expansion. Thus, Embraer will be keen to continue its momentum in the continent.
What are your thoughts about the COMAC C919? Also, what do you make of the prospects of Embraer in the Asia-Pacific market? Let us know what you think of the overall prospects in the comment section.