Bombardier is working on a 150-seat version of its CSeries airliner -- making it more of a competitor against the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 families in the single-aisle market, according to a Wall Street Analyst.
"While Bombardier has not publicly discussed a 150-seat variant, we believe one is in the works, and that is a key reason why Boeing and Airbus are taking a hard look at re-engining the A320 and 737," JP Morgan's Joseph B. Nadol wrote in a client note Wednesday, according to a Things With Wings report.
The CS300 seats up to 130 passengers in a standard single-class configuration, according to Bombardier. But the jet uses Pratt & Whitney's PW1000G geared turbofan engines, which will move up to the 30,000-pound thrust class for Russia's MS-21 (MC-21 in Cyrillic), allowing for larger aircraft.
Boeing and Airbus are talking with Pratt & Whitney and other engine makers about possible reengining of the 737 and A320 families.
A 150-seat CSeries "would have real potential to take share away from Boeing and Airbus," Nadol said in the note.
Bombardier spokesman John Arnone declined to confirm or preclude any plans for a larger CSeries.
"It's clearly speculative," he said of Nadol's note. "We have said pretty much from day one that we're marketing two variants of the CSeries. ... The products that we bring to market are a 110- and 130-seat aircraft. That's where we are and that's where we're going."
Meanwhile, Flightglobal's Mary Kirby reported "a world first" Wednesday in Bombardier's start of pressure testing on the CSeries aluminum lithium fuselage demonstrator on Dec. 21.
Design freeze is expected later this year, with entry into service in 2013.