The delays of the much awaited Boeing 787 Dreamliner is leaving the business plans of many airlines in tatters.
Major Asia Pacific carriers like launch customer All Nippon Airways (ANA), Qantas, and Air New Zealand are scrambling to make alternate arrangements with stop-gap aircraft like the Boeing 767.
At the recently concluded Paris air show, Qatar Airways chief executive Akbar Al Baker gave Boeing executives a piece of his mind, warning that he may pull the carrier’s 60 787 and 24 777 orders because of long production delays.
At the show Qatar Airways inked a 24 aircraft order with Airbus. With Al Baker, Airbus may pull off a return favour on Boeing who helped Singapore Airlines dispose of it’s 17 Airbus A340-300 Celestars when the carrier purchased 77 Boeing 777s back in 1995.
However two airlines in India if anything, are quietly celebrating the delays. With shrinking markets and in terrible financial shape, Air India who has ordered 27 B787s and Jet Airways who has ordered ten, are probably relieved at not having to defer deliveries of their own volition.
Thanks to the recently announced delay, now they can pass the buck and press Boeing for more financial compensation for the delays.
On a related note, if you are interested in the technical aspects of the new delay, I strongly recommend this article by Flightblogger Jon Ostrower. In my humble opinion, Jon is the ultimate authority on the Boeing 787.
Just Me 