Bombardier Loses Next CSeries Prospect As Austrian Picks Embraer
By Richard Weiss, Bloomberg News | Mar. 12, 2015
Bombardier Inc. lost the second prospect within a week for its CSeries aircraft after Deutsche Lufthansa opted instead for Embraer jets to renew the short-haul fleet of its Austrian subsidiary.
Austrian will get 17 Embraer 195 models to replace Fokker aircraft, rejuvenating a group of aircraft that was 21 years old on average with models that are just four years old, Lufthansa Chief Executive Officer Carsten Spohr said today after announcing earnings. The move means that Austrian no longer needs the CSeries, Lufthansa said.
Lufthansa's decision to favor Embraer over Bombardier's most recent airliner is another blow for the Canadian manufacturer, after Qatar Airways Ltd. CEO Akbar Al Baker said last week that he's no longer considering the airliner after years of back and forth and Airbus Group providing an alternative with its A319neo. Bombardier plans to begin deliveries of the CSeries by the end of this year, two years later than planned.
Lufthansa ordered the CSeries for its Swiss unit in 2009, buying 30 with options for 30 more, making it the first customer for the plane. Swiss has said it expects certification for the aircraft later this year.
