Bombardier and Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China have signed a wide-ranging aerospace co-operation agreement last week, ranging from joint marketing efforts on their respective aircraft in development to a possible partnership on future aircraft programs. In the deal signed in Shanghai, the companies said they would explore synergies between their current aircraft in development. The firms said they would consider "possibilities for co-operation with regards to C919/CSeries aircraft program commonalities, joint procurement as well as collaboration on future Bombardier and COMAC product lines. This includes exploring collaboration in their marketing, customer relationship and customer support strategies to help each other increase overall market share in emerging and mature markets."
COMAC chairman Zhang Qingwei said that "both our companies have specific strengths that, when combined, will enhance the competitiveness of our respective aircraft programs and businesses as a whole." Bombardier president Pierre Beaudoin called the deal "another important step in the strengthening of our relationship. We believe that this collaboration will generate positive results for both the C919 and CSeries aircraft programs. It also opens the door to further cooperation on any other projects that would be mutually beneficial."
There are too many aircraft manufacturers currently in the market, could this be the first salvo in a tie-up that could give Boeing and Airbus pause for thought (at the very least).