Bombardier's new arrival faces popularity contest

摘要

Pierre Beaudoin, Bombardier chief executive, says the CSeries completing its first flight milestone could spur orders from some customers which are still undecided about buying the narrowbody aircraft. "I think there's definitely airlines that are on the fence that will see this as a confirmation the programme's moving forward," Beaudoin says. Some customers want to see the CSeries fly before signing a cheque to buy the aircraft, Beaudoin says, alluding to the delays suffered by the Boeing 787 and Airbus A350 programmes. "In the end we get compared to other companies with airplanes, and first flights have not always been in the year they were scheduled," he says. "Airlines have pressure from their own boards, if you like. So first flight is a big milestone."