Airbus Corporate Jets wants greater market share in India

French firm to showcase product at March 14 Hyderabad Air Show

With a hope to increase its presence in the Indian market, Airbus Corporate Jets has decided to showcase its product at the upcoming Hyderabad Air Show for the first time. Airbus’ corporate jets category include Airbus ACJ318, ACJ319, ACJ320 and ACJ321 and the company feels that these will drive the demand in the Asian markets, including India.

“Indian market has a great potential,” said Francois Chazelle, vice-president (worldwide sales), Airbus Corporate Jets. “Though things have not picked up the way it has in the nearby markets, there has been an increase in the size of private jets being bought by India. It has reached a level where many would like to upgrade to our planes.”

For his French company, this was the “right time” to focus on India, and hence they are bringing their aircraft to showcase at the March 14 event in the Andhra Pradesh capital. “We have been able to sell two of our aircraft in the last few years and sell one more this year,” Chazelle added. “With our presence at the air show, we plan to clock some more number.”

Private jets market in India constitutes 12 per cent of the global market and is bigger than that in China and Japan, with around 142 private jets compared to against 93 and 76 respectively in the two east Asian countries.

India has the third largest number of millionaires in the world after the US and Germany, thus justifying the reason behind the large number of airplanes. Toulouse-headquartered Airbus has sold 170 corporate jets globally. Around half of it has been sold in West Asia, which is the “biggest market for us”. Added Chazelle: “We have sold around 25 of our jets in China. We expect India also to contribute more because Indian businessmen are going global in a big way.”

Airbus also helps its customers in selling their planes, once it gets old, and thinks that entering India through second hand planes could also be a possibility. “For us every customer is an opportunity and we also facilitate sale of second hand planes,” he said.

“It is not necessary but entering the Indian market by second hand market could also be a possibility.”