United’s CEO is talking about backing out of its order for hundreds of Boeing 737 MAX 10 aircraft and has lost confidence in the planemaker, having made calls looking for changes at the top of that company.
American’s CEO, too, is unhappy with Boeing – even though his airline doesn’t operate the MAX 9 which was grounded after an Alaska Airlines flight had a door plug separate from its fuselage inflight, suffering rapid depressurization.
American Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 Cabin
In fact, American Airlines CEO Robert Isom put Boeing on blast in response to an employee question at its internal “State of the Airline” meeting following their fourth quarter earnings call on Thursday (a recording of which was reviewed by View From The Wing).
An employee asked if any there was any impact to American from recent Boeing problems, and Isom declared that recent MAX issues aren’t a new phenomenon: Boeing hasn’t performed well “for a number of years.”
This is a hard business. A lot of what we do is dependent on actually being able to grow the airline and bring aircraft in so, as we’ve talked, everybody’s job around here is hard enough without having to worry about an aircraft manufacturer, an engine manufacturer, so where we’re at right now is Boeing hasn’t performed well for us for a number of years.
We don’t fly the MAX 9, we don’t fly the 737-900s, but that’s no comfort. They actually have to produce a quality product every time they deliver something to us. And we’re going to hold them accountable to it. …They have to get their act together.
American Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 Seats
It hasn’t been just issues with the Boeing 737 MAX, with the MAX 8 having been grounded for a year and a half after two crashes. There have been problems with the Boeing 787 program and manufacturing defects. And there have been quality and production snags with both aircraft types, which have delayed deliveries of planes American has had on order. American is years behind delivering its new 777 variant, and still hasn’t gotten certification for its smaller (MAX 7) and larger (MAX 10) planes.
American Airlines Boeing 787
Of course he notes that Airbus has had issues, too. Their A321XLR is delayed and needs to be certified and it’s not yet clear whether that plane – that American has bet a lot on, for domestic premium cross country flights and for short transatlantics – will have the promised range.
American Airlines Airbus A321
American Airlines is working on an order for narrowbody aircraft (which I was first to report). Isom didn’t tip his hand on whether they’d consider Boeing planes for that order. However recent problems suggest Boeing will have to discount further to retain customers.
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