At the Singapore Airshow, Comac is using a high-profile appearance to present itself as a growing competitor to Boeing and Airbus, as airlines across Asia Pacific face long delivery delays, supply chain constraints, and rising operating costs.
A New Presence At The Singapore Airshow
The exhibition halls are filled with scale models, mock cockpits, and interactive displays of the latest commercial jets, but one booth has drawn particular attention. China’s state-owned planemaker Comac has returned to the show after its C919 passenger jet flew to Singapore two years ago on its first trip outside China.
The C919 is designed to compete with the Airbus A320neo and the Boeing 737 MAX. Comac has said it is setting its sights on the Southeast Asian aviation market, using the airshow to position itself as a potential rival in the world’s fastest-growing aviation region.
Airlines Face Delivery Delays
For many carriers in Asia Pacific, the timing is significant. Airlines are dealing with delivery delays from Boeing and Airbus, along with shortages of engines and broader supply chain bottlenecks. Uncertainty linked to tariffs and trade tensions has added further pressure on procurement plans and growth strategies.
Data from the International Air Transport Association shows that airlines are waiting longer than ever for new aircraft, which has pushed up the average fleet age and increased costs because older planes are less fuel efficient. Willie Walsh, IATA’s director general, said Asia Pacific airlines could see double-digit growth in 2026 if aircraft were available. He said the wait between placing an order and taking delivery is about seven years.
Walsh said Comac is likely to become a global competitor over time, adding that in 10 to 15 years the industry will be talking about Boeing, Airbus, and Comac together, and that Comac will be a considerable player in the future.
Comac’s Orders And Regional Expansion
Comac says it has delivered more than 200 C909 and C919 jets, with about a quarter of those aircraft operating with airlines in Laos, Indonesia, and Vietnam. Brunei’s GallopAir has placed a large order, and Cambodia is planning to buy around 20 planes.
Subhas Menon, director general of the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines, said the region needs more suppliers. He said the supply chain functions as an oligopoly and sometimes even a duopoly, and that Comac’s arrival is a welcome addition, particularly for Asia Pacific carriers.
The company benefits from strong government support, and lower prices could make its aircraft attractive to budget airlines in emerging markets.
Views From Regional Airlines
Mike Szucs, chief executive of Philippines low-cost carrier Cebu Pacific, said the company welcomes new entrants and more competition. He said Comac still has certification processes to complete, and that in the 2030s its aircraft could become an option for Cebu Pacific and other carriers.
At the same time, both Boeing and Airbus remain active in the region and at the Singapore Airshow. They have told airlines that delivery delays, which have frustrated carriers for years, are beginning to improve. Szucs said he is seeing signs that there may be light at the end of the tunnel.
Certification And Technical Barriers
Comac is also pursuing European certification, with regulators conducting test flights of the C919. Approval would allow the company to sell to European airlines, but the process could take until 2028 or even 2031, according to regulators.
Technical challenges remain, including the need to harmonise Chinese and Western components, flight controls, and software. Beyond the aircraft themselves, Comac also needs to build out maintenance and repair networks and pilot training systems, areas where Boeing and Airbus have decades of established infrastructure.
Competition Beyond The Big Two
In Asia Pacific, Comac is not only competing with Boeing and Airbus. Brazil’s Embraer has established a presence in the region, with carriers such as Scoot, Virgin Australia, and Japan’s All Nippon Airways placing orders for its jets.
Questions also remain about Comac’s order book. The company has said it has more than 1,000 C919 orders from Chinese airlines, but only around a dozen have been delivered so far. Verifying those figures is difficult because Comac is state-owned and not publicly listed like Boeing or Airbus.
Unless Comac can address certification timelines, infrastructure gaps, and production scale, Boeing and Airbus are likely to retain their dominant position over Asia Pacific skies for now.
Featured image credits: Live and Let’s Fly
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