Airbus has significantly outshone its American counterpart, Boeing, in the fiercely competitive arena of the Asia-Pacific (APAC) commercial aircraft market. From 2020 to 2024, Airbus amassed a robust order book and successfully delivered more aircraft than Boeing, highlighting a strategic upper hand in a region bustling with airline expansions and modernizations.
According to the latest insights from GlobalData, a premier data analytics firm, Airbus received an impressive total of 1,489 aircraft orders in the APAC region, dwarfing Boeing’s 561. This disparity underscores Airbus’s enhanced appeal among the region’s major airlines and leasing companies, particularly in pivotal markets such as India, China, and Singapore.
Critical operators have notably favoured Airbus over Boeing. Indigo Airlines, for instance, placed an extraordinary order for 510 Airbus aircraft while completely sidelining Boeing from its fleet expansion plans. Similarly, Air India opted for 250 Airbus jets, complementing this with a substantial but smaller order for 220 units from Boeing.
Further tipping the scales is the geopolitical tension between the U.S. and China, notably influencing procurement strategies. Companies like China Eastern Airlines and BOC Aviation have exclusively chosen Airbus for their fleet enhancement, ordering 100 and 107 aircraft, respectively, steering clear of Boeing amid the U.S.-China trade war reverberations.
GlobalData also illuminates both manufacturers’ delivery performance, revealing that between 2020 and 2024, Airbus handed over 2,717 aircraft to its customers, compared to Boeing’s 1,594. This stark contrast is partially attributed to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) decision in January 2024 to halt Boeing’s plans to boost production capacity for its 737 Max model following a series of audits on existing production lines.
These ongoing challenges for Boeing are compounded by quality control allegations and a series of order cancellations, favouring Airbus in solidifying its market dominance in this largely duopolistic sector.
In conclusion, Airbus’s ascendancy in the APAC commercial aircraft market is a testament to strategic positioning and adept navigation of geopolitical currents. As Boeing grapples with regulatory and operational hurdles, Airbus continues to soar, capturing market share and industry confidence in a region poised for significant aviation growth.
Written by: My Thanh Pham
