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United Airlines CEO says the airline will consider alternatives to Boeing

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Re: United Airlines CEO says the airline will consider alternatives to Boeing

#11

Post by consumer451 »

lainga wrote: post #4

"Kirby wasn’t specific about what planes the airline could acquire instead of the Max 10, but he noted that there is only one other global manufacturer of such large planes — Boeing’s European rival Airbus." Is it just me or is every player in the dramatis personae dancing around this and/or burying the lede? If they were ordering regional jets, sure, you could buy Embraer or Bombardier, I guess. But as it stands it'…

I think this is a major shot across the bow of Boeing management.

To me, the fact that there really aren't timely alternatives doesn't take away from the gravity of a major airline CEO saying this.

Re: United Airlines CEO says the airline will consider alternatives to Boeing

#13

Post by cbhl »

lainga wrote: post #4

"Kirby wasn’t specific about what planes the airline could acquire instead of the Max 10, but he noted that there is only one other global manufacturer of such large planes — Boeing’s European rival Airbus." Is it just me or is every player in the dramatis personae dancing around this and/or burying the lede? If they were ordering regional jets, sure, you could buy Embraer or Bombardier, I guess. But as it stands it'…

Bombardier isn't even in the business any more after a trade complaint from Boeing. They ended up selling the CS300 and the business to Airbus (which became the A220).

Re: United Airlines CEO says the airline will consider alternatives to Boeing

#14

Post by madaxe_again »

lainga wrote: post #4

"Kirby wasn’t specific about what planes the airline could acquire instead of the Max 10, but he noted that there is only one other global manufacturer of such large planes — Boeing’s European rival Airbus." Is it just me or is every player in the dramatis personae dancing around this and/or burying the lede? If they were ordering regional jets, sure, you could buy Embraer or Bombardier, I guess. But as it stands it'…

They have to be extremely careful what they say.

Boeing is considered a strategically important business to the U.S. - they supply everything from airliners to bombers to spacecraft to cruise missiles. They also create jobs all over the place - taxpayer dollars are funnelled via the pork barrel to jobs programs.

The government cannot allow it to fail, and if Boeing looks bad, the government looks bad. Therefore anyone who makes Boeing look bad is an enemy of the government.

So - you end up with these noncommittal pieces. If they outright said “we are thinking of airbus”, you get the government banning the purchase of airbus aircraft, as that would endanger Boeing, and then you’re stuck with Boeing and the government wants to audit your everything and know why you aren’t standing in line behind the flag.

So the safe option is to make some noncommittal rumblings, and change nothing.

Re: United Airlines CEO says the airline will consider alternatives to Boeing

#15

Post by sagarkamat »

zwieback wrote: post #9

Other than Airbus, are there any alternatives?

Chinese COMAC seems to be on the verge of selling meaningful numbers to chinese airlines. Wont be surprised if they are a very viable competitor in ~20 years which isn’t much in the aviation world where backlogs span a decade

Re: United Airlines CEO says the airline will consider alternatives to Boeing

#17

Post by rehitman »

SirensOfTitan wrote: post #6

At this point, it’s quite pertinent how many corners Boeing has cut over and over again—the company’s culture and management is obviously poisonous. I’m probably a minority of folks, but at this point I’m flying on airlines with the fewest Boeing Max generation planes in their fleet. I also don’t really trust the FAA to properly regulate Boeing after years of a close relationship—the recent groundings are the bare mi…

I haven't tried to avoid MAX, but I have two friends who tried very hard to change flights or only get flights that are not MAX. So you are not alone. You just need to spend more money and time

Re: United Airlines CEO says the airline will consider alternatives to Boeing

#19

Post by rightbyte »

SirensOfTitan wrote: post #6

At this point, it’s quite pertinent how many corners Boeing has cut over and over again—the company’s culture and management is obviously poisonous. I’m probably a minority of folks, but at this point I’m flying on airlines with the fewest Boeing Max generation planes in their fleet. I also don’t really trust the FAA to properly regulate Boeing after years of a close relationship—the recent groundings are the bare mi…

It is somewhat sad to see. Like, I don't see how modern manager culture of punishing loyalty, high worker attrition, short term profits, etc, can turn Boeing around.

Once the elite got rotten they need to be ousted, and the workers don't care (why would they?) and most shareholders have a voters' dilemma of caring at all due to too low stakes.

The only ones that care and can do something is the government, congress etc. Boeing need to be split up and sold off, and the management fired. But I don't see that happening anytime soon.

Re: United Airlines CEO says the airline will consider alternatives to Boeing

#20

Post by baby_souffle »

consumer451 wrote: post #11
lainga wrote: post #4

"Kirby wasn’t specific about what planes the airline could acquire instead of the Max 10, but he noted that there is only one other global manufacturer of such large planes — Boeing’s European rival Airbus." Is it just me or is every player in the dramatis personae dancing around this and/or burying the lede? If they were ordering regional jets, sure, you could buy Embraer or Bombardier, I guess. But as it stands it'…

I think this is a major shot across the bow of Boeing management. To me, the fact that there really aren't timely alternatives doesn't take away from the gravity of a major airline CEO saying this.

> I think this is a major shot across the bow of Boeing management.

> To me, the fact that there really aren't timely alternatives doesn't take away from the gravity of a major airline CEO saying this.

What's to worry about? United has no real alternatives. A shot across the bow implies that the next shot will be with intent to kill but united is stuck with boeing for at least a decade....

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