China’s Crossover Gap: One Aircraft Has a Key

China has a Crossover Gap: The A220 and E2 Are Both Locked Out — But One Has a Key

The A220 recently passed 1,000 orders. The E195-E2 has passed 500. Both aircraft are thriving in the global market. Neither has been ordered by a single Chinese airline. But one of them has already landed at Beijing’s Daxing International Airport — and that distinction tells you a lot about how China manages its aviation market.

The Wall Neither Aircraft Has Overcome

Despite Airbus having significant manufacturing presence in China — a FAL in Tianjin, an A330 finishing line, and fuselage sections for the A220 itself being made in Shenyang — there have been no A220 orders from Chinese airlines or lessors. Airbus is planning a push to sell the A220 into China, where its only presence is the Shenyang fuselage work exported to Mirabel

for final assembly. Our recent visit showed how the AirAsia deal is seen as a ‘door opener’.

The E195-E2 is in the same position. Despite Embraer running active sales campaigns in China since at least 2022, no Chinese carrier has placed an order for the type. The crossover segment — roughly 100-150 seats — that both aircraft own globally is, in China, a market that belongs to COMAC alone.