Boeing ends up 2021 on the ropes with long-time and faithful customers Qantas and KLM turning to Airbus for their short to medium-haul solutions.
The US aerospace giant is also battling 787 production issues as well as 777X certification problems which add up to yet another ghastly year following the tragic 737 MAX debacle.
But it has been on the ropes many times before with near-death knockout blows but that is when the company has responded best and fought back to emerge stronger than ever.
Flashback to 1955 when United Airlines placed its order for 30 DC-8s which gave Douglas a 55 to 20 lead over the 707. It was facing a wipe-out but widened the cabin to match and exceed the DC-8’s and American Airlines came on board. The rest is history.
Just 15 years later in 1970 it was facing another disaster with McDonnell Douglas and Lockheed’s trijets sweeping the market, the SST canceled, and it’s 747 and 737 stumbling with only a trickle of orders.
Fifty thousand workers were laid off which prompted this sign below to be erected.
Yet only a few years later, in 1978, Boeing bounced back to launch the very successful 757 and 767 below. With the 767 it was able to win back key US giants such as American, United, TWA, and Delta Air Lines.
Move on another 10 years and McDonnell Douglas and Airbus cleaned up the market with their 300-seat MD-11 and A340 designs leaving almost no room for a third competitor.
But again it wiped the floor by going clean sheet and efficient with a giant…