Embraer achieved something rare in the competition between the E2 jets and the A220 family, narrowing the gap in net orders in 2024.
Since Airbus took over the CSeries program from Bombardier, the renamed A220 has seen its order list grow significantly.
In 2022, for example, there were 105 net orders and in 2023, 141 more aircraft. But last year, the jet experienced a shrinking order book.
Follow us: WhatsApp | BlueSky | Google News | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook
Out of 914 orders, the A220-100 and A220-300 models ended the year with 905 aircraft sold, a drop of nine units.
Embraer managed to expand its backlog by 28 aircraft, reaching a total of 334 net orders. The result was below 2022 (45 aircraft) and 2023 (36 aircraft), but it was enough to reduce the gap to Airbus.
Currently, the E2 family, which includes the E190-E2 and E195-E2, has 334 firm orders, of which 155 had been delivered by last December.
Airbus, in turn, had delivered 389 A220s by the end of 2024. In January, the planemaker delivered another three aircraft, but lost another order, reaching a total of 904 aircraft ordered.
Difficulties on the assembly line
The A220 family, however, still has a wide advantage in the 100 to 150-seat market. By 2023, it was selling three times more jets than Embraer in this segment, but last year it reached 73% compared to 27% for the Brazilian company.
The lack of orders for the A220 is occurring amid problems in the supply chain and difficulties in increasing the production rate at the factories in Mirabel, Canada, and Mobile, in the U.S.
Embraer is also experiencing a similar phenomenon, but has sought to change its work with suppliers.
Both aircraft have in common the fact that they are equipped with the Pratt & Whitney GTF turbofan, which, although very efficient, has undergone a complex recall due to design flaws.
The second-generation E-Jets, however, are still no match for the successful first generation, which had more than 1,900 orders and is still sold in the E175 variant, with 76 seats.
