Chinese aircraft maker Comac sets sights on entering the Saudi market

Chinese state-owned planemaker Comac is setting its sights on entering the Saudi market in a bid to compete with Western manufacturers, Reuters reported on Thursday, citing statements by its chairman Dongfeng He. “Comac envisions enhancing global connectivity and diversity by contributing to Saudi Arabia's aviation transportation development,” He said last week during an aviation forum in Riyadh. He said two of the group’s operational planes — the C919 and ARJ21 regional jet — could boost Saudi’s flight market both domestically and regionally.

Filling the gap?A series of safety failures by Boeing have made Comac more competitive in the Asian jetliner market where budget carriers are ramping up orders. Airline executives have recognized that Comac shows promise as a challenger that can unseat the traditional Boeing-Airbus duopoly, with aviation consultancy IBA foreseeing that the Chinese planemaker could potentially snap up 1% of the global narrow-body aircraft market by 2030. However, challenges abide in terms of the certification of Comac aircraft with US and European regulators and obstacles to scaling production, the report also noted. Comac’s aircraft costs at least a quarter less than their European and US counterparts.

A hurdle along the way: Aviation sources told Reuters that Comac still has a long way to go before it can credibly expand overseas due to the lack of key certifications from the US or European Union and the need for more efficient planes. The US added the Chinese manufacturer in 2021 to its list of companies affiliated to the Chinese military, banning any investments by American firms in it.