'The Boeing Curse': Production setbacks haunt aviation industry beyond 2024
Boeing 737 MAX 7
'The Boeing Curse' has engulfed the aviation industry in a supply-demand 'tug of war'. While demand for air travel is peaking in 2024, owing to holidays and recovery post-COVID, supply woes continue to disrupt delivery plans for Boeing and Airbus. This is causing restlessness among major airlines, who are paying more to keep 'dated' aircrafts working overtime.
In yet another industry blow cited by Bloomberg News, Boeing has notified some 737 MAX customers of potential delays of 3 to 6 months for deliveries scheduled for 2025 & 2026.
This adds to the production slowdowns caused by increased regulatory scrutiny and supply-chain issues. This slowdown is not restricted to Boeing. Even Airbus is struggling with production delays, with significant delays in the first quarter of 2024. However, Airbus is experiencing much less turbulence than Boeing, which is facing a criminal trial to top all this production chaos.
June came with a bit of sunshine, as it became Boeing's highest monthly delivery total since January. Boeing is also nearing a multi-billion dollar deal with Korean Air to sell 20 to 30 777X jets. Still, the journey for Boeing is 'clouded' with multiple 'shocks' lurking.
Meanwhile, Boeing's ambitious space project, the Starliner, continues to be stranded in space. NASA's astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore are still docked with the International Space Station after facing delays due to technical problems. They had launched in June but encountered issues like helium leaks and thruster malfunctions. While both astronauts expressed confidence in a safe return on Starliner, the exact timeline for their journey back to Earth remains uncertain.