Airbus aims to win more than 20 percent of orders for commercial planes in Japan from this year, as it ramps up sales efforts to challenge Boeing's dominance of the country's passenger jet market, a company official said.
The world's No.1 passenger aircraft maker, which didn't make any sales in Japan in 2010, has scored two big deals in the nation in the past six months, signing a sales contract for four A380 superjumbo aircraft with Skymark Airlines and a leasing agreement with A&F Aviation.
The company, part of European aerospace corporation EADS, also plans to work more closely with Japanese manufacturers such as material makers to bolster its presence in the country, Airbus Japan CEO Stephane Ginoux told Reuters in an interview.
"If possible, we want Japanese manufacturers to be making more than 10 percent, or even 20 percent, of our airplanes," Ginoux said, referring to the company's A380 superjumbo, to which Japanese firms currently contribute around 4 percent of parts.
Boeing, which currently holds nearly 90 percent of Japan's passenger airplane market, has been struggling to deliver the first of its long-delayed 787 Dreamliners, which are nearly three years behind schedule.
The latest delivery schedule of the 787, 35 percent-made by Japanese manufactures, is now set for the third quarter of 2011.
Airbus has agreed a leasing contract for 10 A320-200s with A&F Aviation, a budget carrier created by All Nippon Airways and Hong Kong investor First Eastern Investment Group.
Ginoux, who became the head of Airbus Japan in July 2010, did not specify how the company would ramp up sales but said the company aims to capture more than 20 percent of Japan's passenger jet market within 5 years through new orders, up from about 10 percent currently.
Airbus delivered a record 510 airliners globally last year, climbing from 498 in 2009, beating Boeing for the eighth year running.
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