Let’s say you’re an airline CEO and you’ve been waiting for Boeing to deliver your brand new wide-body planes. Unfortunately, it looks like you’re going to be waiting quite a bit longer – probably until 2027! Airbus isn’t doing that much better, according to Bloomberg, but Boeing is really taking its time:
The world’s two major aircraft manufacturers have struggled to get their products out the door since the pandemic crippled the supply chain. Deutsche Lufthansa AG and British Airways parent IAG SA are awaiting Boeing’s 777X, which is currently six years late to the market.
These airlines have obviously been very, very patient, but Bloomberg also reported that the federal government shutdown has now thrown a new wrench in the works. It has delayed aircraft inspections and, in Lufthansa’s case, prevented a new seat on the airline’s Boeing 787s from being approved. It’s all pretty exasperating, if not completely infuriating, but airline executives seem resigned to the situation.
No improvements on the horizon
Bloomberg quoted Ben Smith, CEO of Air France-KLM, on the delays:
“For some long-haul airplanes, we’ve been waiting for certification for seven or eight years, which is unprecedented….I don’t think any of us have too much hope that it’s going to get better in the short term.”
Bloomberg added that all this waiting for new aircraft with more fuel-efficient engines is causing issues with airlines’ decarbonization goals. So it’s a rather large mess, though mostly confined to the big planes. Boeing is making much better progress with its 737 MAX deliveries, but they’re behind schedule, too.
It’s useful to remember that this market is a duopoly. If Boeing falls behind – and it has clearly fallen way, way behind on the 777X, with a hefty backlog of orders – then it isn’t a simple matter of switching to Airbus. Apart from having a legacy relationship with Boeing and all that entails, if you’re running an airline you have to deal with Airbus’ own tardiness. That’s why an exec like Smith is essentially throwing up his hands. Having only two choices significantly limits your options.
Give it a decade – or more
The 777X debuted in 2013 (updating a plane that dated to 1995) and was supposed to launch in 2020. The problems have been numerous, but of late they’ve been more bureaucratic than technical – and tied to Boeing’s struggles with the 737 MAX, following several tragic accidents. Simple Flying sums it up:
The recent issues have revolved around the powerplants with engine mount problems, severed thrust links, and de-icing faults. In the past, other problems were found with equipment like cargo doors, but the most significant hurdles now sound like they are related to regulatory requirements. The poor safety record Boeing has exhibited in recent years…has demanded great scrutiny from the [FAA].
The 777X is an innovative aircraft that promises to be an excellent replacement not just for older 777s but for aging airframes such as Lufthansa’s 747s (I personally love flying on 747s, but all good things must pass). The 777X’s cool folding wingtips alone are worth the price of admission. But there’s no question that Boeing has lost a lot of its once-legendary mojo. New CEO Kelly Ortberg is trying to get the company back on track. The 777X holdups are not exactly filling the aviation world with confidence, however.
