Boeing, Airbus Deliveries Face ‘Unprecedented’ Delay, Buyers Say
The holdups are causing big backlogs at major European carriers, Air France-KLM Chief Executive Officer Ben Smith said Tuesday.
Boeing Co. and Airbus SE are suffering “unprecedented” delays in certifying and delivering aircraft, stifling airlines’ growth and plans to decarbonize, customers say.
The holdups are causing big backlogs at major European carriers, Air France-KLM Chief Executive Officer Ben Smith said Tuesday. Every supplier is behind schedule, and airlines have seen no improvements since the pandemic ended, he said.
“For some long-haul airplanes, we’ve been waiting for certification for seven or eight years, which is unprecedented,” Smith said during an Airlines 4 Europe online press conference. “I don’t think any of us have too much hope that it’s going to get better in the short term.”
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.
The widebody aircraft is now expected to launch in early 2027 instead of next year, Bloomberg News reported.
The delays are exacerbated by a US government shutdown that has stopped aircraft inspections. That’s also affected approval of a seat type on Lufthansa’s new Boeing 787s, CEO Carsten Spohr said in the conference.
The impasse in Washington is also impacting flight connections with Lufthansa’s American partners, he said.
The airline bosses were more optimistic about the short-haul aircraft market, with Ryanair Holdings Plc CEO Michael O’Leary saying Boeing has made “significant progress” on ramping out 737 Max jets — although deliveries are still late.
