Boeing remains in the news today, with a positive story on safety changes and a litany of negative stories.
It is nice to see Boeing beginning to be more transparent on its safety efforts and yesterday’s $1.1 billion defense order for FA-18 Hornets. But most of the stories remain critical, from environmental to risk management to Airbus winning the majority of two large orders in Asia, financial settlements of two very old crash litigations, one a decade back and one four decades ago, and more on the late whistleblower.
Here are links to today’s key stories:
- Boeing targets a culprit of 737 MAX production woes: ‘Traveled work’ – Yahoo
- Airline CEOs Seek Meeting With Boeing Directors to Address Production Problems – WSJ
- Flying is Weird Right Now – The Atlantic
- Boeing extends Super Hornet production to 2027 with final new-build order from USA- Flight Global
- Boeing’s Big Green Disaster – Heated
- Korean Air snubs embattled Boeing -its top aircraft supplier – as it inks $14 billion deal with Airbus – Fortune
- Japan Airlines to add 32 new Airbus planes to its fleet – Japan Times
- Navigating turbulence: Boeing’s lessons in risk management – SHP
- Whistleblower John Barnett claimed Boeing managers spied on him before his alleged suicide – NY Post
- Boeing crisis: ‘Stupid’ French minister talks ‘rubbish’ like Donald Trump, says Ryanair chief – Politico
- Boeing, Pratt & Whitney held liable for 1984 Cameroon Airlines tragedy – Airline Geeks
- Boeing finally settles lawsuit of deadly Spanair crash after 15 years of legal battles –Air101
- FAA wants inspections of Boeing Max planes for wiring flaw that could lead to ‘loss of control’ – NBC News
The last story listed is old news that we and other aviation units covered last week but is now making the national news broadcasts. The adage, if it bleeds (or could bleed), it leads, still applies. At least Michael O’Leary had the sense to criticize a French minister’s uninformed comments unfairly comparing Airbus and Boeing.
The Bottom Line
The negative press on Boeing continues unabated, with reports of Airbus wins headlined as Boeing losses. While Boeing does deserve criticism for many of its actions, it looks like piling on worthy of a 15-yard penalty in football. Bringing up settlements on 15 and 40-year-old litigation and criticism of the MAX 8, one of the most fuel-efficient aircraft in the world, on environmental grounds, are also inappropriately timed. The JAL headline fails to mention the 10 Boeing 787-9 wide bodies that were also ordered simultaneously, which is not an insignificant afterthought. The press has painted a target on the back of Boeing.
