Airbus pledges to put C Series ahead of A319 in sales push

Airbus will prioritize sales of Bombardier’s C Series jet over the smallest version of its own single-aisle plane while seeking to adapt the model’s key elements for future projects following the surprise tie-up between the companies, according to CEO Tom Enders. Airbus will “definitely” push the Canadian model’s largest variant, the CS300, at the expense of the similarly sized A319neo, Enders said Wednesday. The planemaker hasn’t announced a new airline customer for the jet in five years, since Bombardier’s aircraft emerged as a serious rival. “That was the last time we sold the plane,” he said. “That tells you something about the competition between the A319 and the C Series.” Airbus this week agreed to take a 50.01% stake in the Bombardier program in a deal that will put the might of its global sales machine behind the North American model. Enders said he’s confident the surprise deal will make both the CS300 and the smaller CS100 a “roaring success in the market.”<br/>