The Chinese planemaker taking on Boeing and Airbus

At the Singapore Airshow, the exhibition halls are lined with scale models, mock cockpits, and interactive displays showing the latest commercial jets and aviation technology.

One booth is drawing particular attention: Comac, China’s state-owned planemaker, which has made significant strides since its C919 passenger jet flew to Singapore in its first trip outside of Chinese territory two years ago.

The plane is designed to compete with the Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX and is increasingly targeting markets beyond China.

For Comac, the airshow is a chance to position itself as a potential rival to Airbus and Boeing in Asia-Pacific, the world’s fastest-growing aviation market, at a time when airlines are grappling with delivery delays and stretched supply chains.

“I think in time, Comac will be a global competitor… but it’s going to take them time,” Willie Walsh, director general of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) told the BBC.

“I think 10 years, 15 years from now, we’ll be talking about Boeing, Airbus and Comac… But without question, they will be a considerable player in the future.”

There is certainly a need for another planemaker in Asia-Pacific, analysts say.

Airlines in the region are feeling the strain from delivery delays at Boeing and Airbus, compounded by a shortage of engines and broader supply chain bottlenecks.

Uncertainty over tariffs and trade tensions has further complicated challenges for the manufacturing sector, affecting procurement and growth strategy in the region.

IATA data shows that global carriers are waiting longer than ever for new aircraft, pushing the average fleet age up and increasing operating costs because older planes are less fuel efficient.

Walsh said that Asia-Pacific airlines could see double digit growth in 2026 if planes were available. “It’s incredibly frustrating for airlines. The wait between making an order and taking delivery is about seven years,” he said.

This is why Comac is emerging as another option for many Asia-Pacific airlines.

More than 150 Comac jets are in active service inside China and its planes are also operating in Laos, Indonesia and Vietnam. Brunei’s GallopAir has placed a large order for Comac aircraft, and Cambodia is also planning to buy around 20 planes.

“We need more suppliers in the supply chain,” said Subhas Menon, director general of the Association for Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA). “The problem with this industry is that the supply chain is an oligopoly and sometimes even a duopoly.”

“We have been waiting for this for a long time. Comac is a welcome introduction. We need more suppliers in the Asia Pacific especially.”

The company is in a good position with strong government support, and lower prices can make its aircraft appealing to budget airlines in emerging markets.

“In the future we welcome all newcomers. We are keen to see more competition. Comac has got its certification process to go through and at some point in the 2030s, we see that it will be an offering that would be attractive to ourselves and other carriers,” Mike Szucs, chief executive of low-cost Philippines carrier Cebu Pacific told the BBC.

As well as expanding in Asia-Pacific, Comac is also pursuing European certification, with regulators conducting test flights on its C919. This would allow it to sell to European carriers.

However, the road ahead remains long.

European certification could take until 2028 or even 2031, regulators say. Meanwhile, harmonising a mix of Chinese and Western parts, flight controls, and software also presents technical challenges for international orders.

Maintenance and repair infrastructure is another hurdle, as is pilot training – areas where manufacturers like Boeing and Airbus have had infrastructure and systems set up for decades.

And in Asia-Pacific, Comac has some competition beyond Boeing and Airbus.

Brazil’s Embraer has carved out a foothold in the region with Singapore budget carrier Scoot, Virgin Australia and Japan’s All Nippon Airlines (ANA) placing orders for Embraer jets.

Meanwhile, Boeing and Airbus still have a strong presence at the Singapore Airshow and the region as a whole. Both manufacturers are signalling to local carriers that aircraft delivery delays, which have frustrated airlines for years, are beginning to improve.

“We are pleased to say that we might be seeing light at the end of tunnel,” Mike Szucs of Cebu Pacific said.

There are questions about Comac’s order numbers, too. It has previously said it has more than 1,000 C919 passenger plane orders to Chinese airlines, but only a dozen have been delivered so far.

And verifying these order numbers is difficult as Comac is a state-owned Chinese company not a publicly listed one like Boeing or Airbus.

Unless Comac can address some or all of these issues, Boeing and Airbus are likely to continue controlling the skies above Asia-Pacific.