Page 11 - AAA January / February 2024 Digital Magazine | GBP
P. 11
significantly higher than that of The inactivated door plug on the
Boeing’s (4700) so its ability to MAX-9 is not the issue as it’s
“manufacturer” a couple of hun- identical to that on the legacy
dred delivery slots when United 737-900ER which has clocked
wants them is almost impossible up 10 million hours without
in an extremely tight market. incident and Airbus’s A321 also
has door plugs as well what
United is the second largest is at issue is Boeing’s quality
user of the 737, after Southwest oversight.
with 40 737-700s, 141 -800s,
12 -900s and 136 – 900ERs. Its Because of this oversight along
MAX family commitments are 80 with other breaches around
-MAX 8s, 79 -MAX 9s and 388 production Boeing now faces
a multitude of issues that are
MAX 10s on order. almost as great as those of
the MAX crashes, with FAA
Scott Kirby United already has a signifi- audits, an unprecedented cap
CEO of United Airlines cant fleet of Airbus jets with on planned production ramp
172 A319/A320 in its fleet plus ups of the MAX, delays in certi-
3 A321neos with another 127
Kirby added in a positive note A321neos on order along with fication of two MAX models and
however “we need Boeing to 50 A321XLRs. the flagship 777-9 and a wider
succeed. But they’ve been longer-term loss of confidence in
having these consistent manu- United like Alaska Airlines is the name Boeing.
facturing challenges. They need well into the inspection process
to take action here.” of getting its MAX 9s back into The new FAA MAX production
audits will be far longer and a
service and Kirby says he has planned rate hike from 38 air-
Those production incidents have craft a month to 42 planned for
been multiple and impacted “a lot of confidence January went o`n ice and is
both the 737 and 787, for which not expected to take place
United is also the biggest cus- in the safety of these till the 2nd quarter of this
tomer. The Boeing woes are airplanes, particularly calendar year.
incredibly frustrating for Kirby as since we know what
he tries to rebuild United Airlines’ happened with this New York analysts Bernstein
fleet and tarnished product and estimates that instead of deliv-
service reputation. Max 9.” ering 587, 737 MAX aircraft this
United has had its 80 strong
MAX 9 fleet grounded impact-
ing up to 8000 flights a month
causing massive losses not to
mention huge disruptions to its
passengers and staff.
According to Kirby it will now be
five years before Boeing can
deliver the MAX 10 which has
sent the airline rushing to Airbus
for help and it may not be the
only airline doing so.
However, Airbus’s backlog for Boeing 737 MAX 9
narrow bodies at around 7000 is
ASIAN AIRLINES & AEROSPACE JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2024 | 11
