Rapid takeoff
According to forecasts by aircraft producer Airbus, Polish airlines (including Lot, Centralwings, and any others that could enter the market) will need three times as many planes by 2025 to cope with the country's rapidly growing market. The Polish fleet of planes carrying 100 passengers or more is expected to grow from the 2005 figure of 17 to 59 by 2025, including 48 brand-new jets. "This will cost some $4 [zł.11.5] billion," Airbus' market forecast analyst Paul Bonnabau said.
Airbus wants a significant chunk of that market for itself. "Our corporate objective is to have a market share of between 40 and 60 percent," Bonnabau said. That goal will not be easy to achieve, as the company's main competitor, Boeing, has a very strong presence in Poland and has been supplying airplanes to Poland since the fall of communism. But that doesn't discourage Bonnabau. "This was also the case for many other CEE countries, and now we have 11 operators flying our jets and we have a 20-percent share in the whole [CEE] fleet," he said.
According to Airbus' predictions, the CEE market will grow at a pace of 9.7 percent annually over the next three years. Until 2015, the average annual growth rate is expected to come in at 6.6 percent. "This is much faster than the global average of 4.8 percent," Bonnabau said.
Although Airbus currently has no planes in the Polish fleet, Poland is an important link in Airbus' production chain. EADS PZL Okęcie produces elements of the A320's floor, while PZL widnik manufactures belly fairings (coverings used for drag reduction), elements of passenger doors as well as luggage-compartment doors. Goodrich Krosno has already signed an agreement with Airbus to make parts of the chassis for the aircraft producer's flagship product - the A380 "Superjumbo."
