Premium #210 – Why Competitive Dynamics are Changing in Commercial Aviation

The delineation of the two major sectors in commercial aviation used to be quite clear.  Airbus and Boeing built aircraft for the major carriers, while Bombardier and Embraer built aircraft for regional airlines. With the introduction of the CSeries, everything began to change. As we map the changes in competitive dynamics, we find that two segments that each behave as a duopoly should are morphing as Bombardier, and to a lesser extent Embraer, move upward.

Duopolies operate carefully, deliberately and engage in no behavior that would upset the market. While companies may compete vigorously with each other, above all, they remain rational in playing their game of leapfrog.