An Empirical Analysis to Determine the Relation Between Airlines Preferences and Competition

This paper examines the competitive context in the commercial aircraft industry. In particular, the aim of the research here presented is to understand what are the main drivers influencing the choice of a specific engine manufacturer in an aircraft, and how such preferences influence the competition between Airbus and Boeing. In order to do that, we have collected data about the fleet composition of the top 25 airlines and we have located the main drivers influencing the engine configuration in: route specialization, business model and maintenance policy. Implications of such empirical findings in the competition among aircraft manufacturers are finally discussed.