Boeing reaches out to SIA to discuss 777X aircraft delays
BOEING has reached out to Singapore Airlines to discuss the US planemaker’s failure to deliver long-delayed 777X aircraft on time, according to the chief executive officer of the city-state’s flag carrier.
“When the delay was foreseen you can imagine that Boeing would have reached out to us for early conversations,” Goh Choon Phong said in an interview with Bloomberg at the carrier’s new lounge at Changi Airport Tuesday (May 31). “Obviously, we expect Boeing to help us in the interim to make sure that we continue to be able to deploy the right capacity.”
Boeing in April delayed deliveries of 777X jets to 2025, 5 years later than expected, prompting some plane lessors to suggest the product’s future is in doubt. The US planemaker - which offers the model in 2 variants - won’t resume production until 2023, leading to speculation some buyers may cancel orders or switch to Airbus’s A350 jets.
Last year, Singapore Airlines swapped some of its Boeing wide-body jetliner orders for the larger 777X, paring commitments for the 787-10 Dreamliners. After that change, Singapore Airlines’ total orders stood at 31 for Boeing’s largest aircraft, a vote of confidence in the heir to the manufacturer’s iconic 747 jumbo.
“We are a very important customer to Boeing. I’m sure Boeing will tell you that too,” Goh said, adding that any conversations between the 2 are confidential. “There are conversations on what is the impact of the delay.”
A Singapore-based representative for Boeing said the company doesn’t comment on customer discussions.
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Singapore Airlines is also due to take delivery of 3 Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners this year, but that model has grappled with structural glitches since 2020 and deliveries are stalled. Goh didn’t specify whether there were talks for delays in 787 deliveries as well. BLOOMBERG
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