Premium #214 – What might a CSeries order from Delta mean for the industry?

The rumor mill is alive with reports that Bombardier is close to obtaining an order from Delta Air Lines for 75 firm plus 50 options for the CSeries. This would be a game changer for the CSeries program, which has struggled, and would provide the largest order for the new management team and their recovery strategy, which includes securing major orders from bellwether carriers in North America, Europe, and Asia to join Air Canada, Swiss and Korean, their current “name brand” customers.

Of course, we’ve seen previously that once an order appears close, that’s a signal for “best and final” pricing from Airbus and Boeing, neither of whom want Bombardier to gain a market foothold, especially with a key customer of both OEMs. The pencils are, no doubt, being sharpened for an 11th hour offer, and Bombardier will need to ensure that it continues to lead in both the technical and economic evaluations. How low will Airbus and Boeing make Bombardier go to secure this order?