Boeing isn’t bringing any of its commercial jets to this year’s Farnborough Airshow, the company confirmed to Business Insider.
It’s the first time for 16 years that it isn’t displaying its airliners at the world’s second-biggest air show. Farnborough alternates each year with Paris, the most-attended air show, meaning it’s the primary aviation event for 2024. The Air Current first reported on the news.
The decision comes as Boeing deals with an ongoing crisis sparked by January’s Alaska Airlines blowout. CEO Dave Calhoun announced he will resign at the end of the year, and several airline bosses have voiced their frustrations with the firm.
Boeing also didn’t display any passenger jets at February’s Singapore Airshow. However, the Farnborough decision is more noteworthy.
It’s a mainstay in the aviation world, where planemakers exhibit new aircraft and announce deals with airlines.
At the time of publication, one Boeing airliner, the 787 Dreamliner, is set to be displayed at Farnborough.
Rather than being sent by Boeing, however, this is courtesy of Qatar Airways, which is set to exhibit its upgraded QSuite business class.
Boeing is instead prioritizing work on a safety and quality plan as it works to regain the trust of regulators and customers following the Alaska Airlines 737 Max incident.
In a statement sent to Business Insider, Boeing said: “Our Commercial Airplanes team has been focused on implementing our comprehensive safety and quality plan and working to meet the commitments we’ve made to our customers.”
“With these priorities in mind, we decided that rather than prepare and perform flight demonstrations this summer, we are redirecting the engineering and manufacturing resources toward airplane production and certification,” it added.
“For more than a decade, we’ve brought our 787 Dreamliner, 777X and 737 Max airplanes to airshows around the world, including Farnborough, Paris, Dubai, India and Singapore. We look forward to doing the same in the future. Boeing will have a strong presence of defense, space, and security products — flying and on display.”
At last year’s Paris Air Show, Boeing displayed its 737 Max 10 — the longest version of its narrowbody jet — which is still awaiting certification. Approval has been further hampered by increased regulatory scrutiny following the blowout, when a Max 9 lost a door plug in midair.
After the blowout, Scott Kirby, the CEO of United Airlines, Boeing’s biggest customer, called the incident “the straw that broke the camel’s back.” He added that the airline would build an alternative plan without the Max 10 due to the delays.
The 777X, an upgraded version of the widebody 777, was also on display in Paris. It was initially set to enter service in 2020, but this has been pushed back to 2025.
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