[photopress:air_arj21_launch_picture.jpg,full,alignright]According to Boeing, China’s domestic air travel market will grow nearly fivefold in the next 20 years.
The annual growth rate is 8.1%. China is already the the largest commercial aircraft market outside the US.
The future is astounding. Randy Tinseth, vice-president of marketing at Boeing Commercial Airplanes. said China will need about 3,400 new airplanes, worth $340 billion, over the next two decades, and the country’s fleet will nearly quadruple to 4,460 by 2026.
Tinseth also said air cargo will continue to lead the world and Chinese airlines are expected to add 300 freighters during the period, quadrupling its fleet.
Not everyone is in total agreement as to the figures although no one argues about massive growth. For example, Boeing thinks China will need only 340 regional jets by 2026 while China Aviation Industry Corp I (AVIC I) has forecast the country will need up to 900 feeder-line aircraft by 2025. And hopes that the majority will be the 70 to 100-seat ARJ21 and 50-seat MA60.
This area is not for Boeing. Randy Tinseth said, ‘The regional jet market is a relatively small segment in the global aviation market and there are many competitors. It is just a market we choose not to serve.’
It could, perhaps, have been put more elegantly but it gets its point across. Boeing will not be in competition with China’s ARJ21.
Source: Air Travel