Boeing Woes Continue as Issues Mount and Rival Airbus Widens Lead in Orders

Boeing Woes Continue as Issues Mount and Rival Airbus Widens Lead in Orders

Time Stamp: March 12, 2024 2:45 PM
Source Node: 2512935

Boeing’s troubles have continued to mount, as rival manufacturer Airbus has pulled ahead in the number of orders it has delivered in the opening months of the year.  

According to CNBC, Airbus has delivered 79 planes in January and February of 2024, compared to 54 for Boeing.  

Multiple troubles, including federal investigations, have brought delays to Boeing’s manufacturing that are beginning to bite with customers. On March 12, Southwest, which exclusively uses Boeing’s 737s, announced its intention to scale back its capacity and rethink its financial outlook for 2024, as it now assumes there will be no 737-7 aircraft deliveries this year[1] . United Airlines also removed the yet-to-be-certified 737 MAX 10 from plans for its own fleet.  

Read More: DOJ Opens Criminal Investigation Into Boeing Over Door Plug Blowout Incident

This all goes back to a January 5 incident when a door plug on a Boeing 737 MAX blew out right after takeoff out of Portland, forcing an emergency landing, and ultimately leading to months of increased scrutiny and criticism from federal leaders and lawmakers. 

Boeing’s woes have only escalated since the door-plug incident, amid a criminal investigation from the Department of Justice, ongoing production delays, and cratering stock prices.  

Read More: Boeing to Tie More Worker Bonuses to Safety After Series of Lapses

Just days after reports of the DOJ’s investigation surfaced, on March 11 a 787 Dreamliner plunged in mid-flight over New Zealand. Dozens of injuries were reported, after the pilot of the plane said he “temporarily lost control of the aircraft,” according to a report from CNN. It’s unclear what exactly caused the incident, with the airline describing it as a “technical event.”  

Then on March 12, it was revealed that Boeing whistleblower John Barnett was found dead from a “self-inflicted” wound in his truck at a hotel car park in Charleston, South Carolina. The 62-year-old worked for the company for more than three decades, before coming forward in 2019, claiming that rushed processes on the assembly line at Boeing’s North Carolina plant had compromised the safety of the 787 Dreamliner.  

Barnett was reportedly in South Carolina for legal interviews related to an ongoing lawsuit against Boeing. 

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