FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Indian newcomer IndiGo orders 100 Airbus jets
Old Jun 17, 2005 | 6:34 am
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Personally I tend to look at all things on the conservative side, perhaps it is due to my profession (CPA).

I remember in the mid-90s, China was going through similar types of ordering volume and there were several smaller start-up airlines as well as government owned regional airplanes. 10 years later, we are seeing all these airlines consolidated into three major groups (MU, CA and CZ and three of other "independents" (Hainan, Xiamen and Shanghai). The latter half of 90s, many of the none big-three were losing their shirts due to excess capacities and competitions. Government forced the big three to take these smaller airlines in a massive consolidation process. For 3 to 4 years, China did not make any significant aircraft orders and some orders were cancelled while sorting out these messes.

I know Inida has a deregulated market while China does not, but look at US as another example, Southwest, JetBlue and Airtran are grabbing the headlines, but many budget carriers fail. I don't seem to remember any of the budget carriers order 100 planes before they started operations. UA did not go order a bunch of 747 when it started its first international flight out of SEA in the 80s...... now I see Kingfisher order several A380 and A350 before they even started international routes.

I hate to see investors of the airlines and aircraft manufacturers get hurt down the road.
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