Currently, nothing directly points to the plane crash in South Korea being related to the aircraft model. However, despite this, the accident comes at an inconvenient time for an already strained Boeing.
Boeings The year has been marked by accidents and significant financial losses.
Although the plane crash in South Korea doesn't seem to be related to the aircraft type itself, a Boeing 737-800, according to aviation expert Jan Ohlsson, it comes at an inconvenient time for the aircraft manufacturer.
”Boeing is in a deep slump that they haven't really managed to sort out. They are cutting back and trying to increase production at the same time. They are stressed about getting aircraft out on time, and then it's important that there isn't cheating again, he says.
According to Jan Ohlsson, social media is full of people who, after the crash, are saying they will never fly with Boeing again.
”They have a stigma attached to them that's hard to wash off, and they lose orders because of it too,” he says.
It was a 737-800 model plane that crashed in South Korea. According to Ohlsson, it is a robust model that has not shown any faults.
Boeing, on the other hand, has previously had problems with its 737 Max aircraft. The planes were grounded for several years following two fatal crashes, in Indonesia in 2018 and Ethiopia in 2019. This has led to protracted legal processes which are still ongoing.
The company has later also admitted that it attempted to mislead regulatory authorities about an onboard flight control system.
As if that weren't enough, an Alaska Airlines 737 Max plane was forced to make an emergency landing in January of this year after a door plug detached during the flight. In a year, the company's market value has plummeted by around 30 percent.
Interim figures for the year The third quarter showed a loss of $6.2 billion. In the autumn, 33,000 Boeing employees in the USA also went on strike, which became another costly affair for the company.
According to Jan Ohlsson, Boeing's crises have led to competitor Airbus taking the lead. However, there is another dark cloud on the competitive horizon for Boeing.
”It is politically important for China and Russia to build their own planes. Russia isn't very good at it, but the Chinese will become a dangerous competitor quite soon. Just look at the car industry,” says Ohlsson.
Stakeholders in the aviation industry are also tired of waiting for aircraft to be delivered.
”There is a huge shortage of aircraft worldwide. This is driving up prices, and it means that countries that are not directly at odds with China will look more in that direction,” he says.
Source: TT-DI.SE
