Urgency Without Knee-Jerk Reactions
The head of AerCap, the world’s largest aircraft lessor, has dismissed calls for leadership changes at Boeing following a door plug blowout on a Boeing 737 MAX 9. Instead, Aengus Kelly believes that knee-jerk reactions would be ill-advised at this point. However, he acknowledges that Boeing knows what needs to be done and what has to be fixed. Speaking at the Airline Economics conference, Kelly emphasized that every plane leaving Boeing factories must be flawless to maintain customer confidence. Another incident could make selling the 737 MAX a challenging task.
Questionable Strategic Vision
Steven Udvar-Hay, Executive Chairman of Air Lease Corp, has expressed concerns about Boeing’s board and management’s strategic vision. While he hasn’t directly called for personnel changes, Udvar-Hay warns that U.S. regulators may halt 737 output if another significant problem occurs. He believes that any issues should be addressed swiftly. The recent incident, which originated from Boeing’s Renton plant, has drawn criticism from regulators and politicians alike. This industry gathering in Dublin will serve as a test of confidence for Boeing.
Calls for Change
Industry commentator Richard Aboulafia, along with other industry analysts, has called for Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun and other executives to step aside. While Boeing has refrained from commenting on these statements, private discussions among lessors and industry officials reveal dissatisfaction with the current leadership. Calhoun has vowed to learn from mistakes and prevent similar accidents in the future. The National Transportation Safety Board is currently investigating the cause of the door plug blowout. The probe is focusing on missing or mis-installed bolts.