Consistent delays by aircraft manufacturers are angering airlines, and one executive sees outsourcing as the reason.
Persistent delays were exacerbated during the pandemic, and are still occurring today, in different ways, but with a common justification on the part of the major airlines: problems with suppliers, which were only discovered when the plane was being assembled.
The Boeing 777X is one great example, as the plane was supposed to be in commercial service a few months ago, but is expected to enter commercial flights in early 2025.
The truth is that Qatar Airways will be the first to fly the plane, but the company’s discomfort is still clear, and its CEO, Akbar Al Baker, pointed out the problem, which, according to him, was caused by the manufacturers themselves.
“They, Airbus and Boeing, say they’re working hard to get the supply line back to normal, and I know they’re doing that. The problem is they can’t do much because they don’t have control. I think the big mistake the two manufacturers made was trying to outsource a lot of Jobs they did internally, just to save money, and now we’re seeing it backfire on them.“, says the CEO in an interview with CNN’s Richard Quest.
Some manufacturers have even announced the purchase of supplier companies or replacement of some of them as a way to avoid future errors.
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