Rain or Shine, a Low-Key Presence for Boeing Commercial Airplanes

The two largest commercial airliner OEMs arrive at Farnborough against backgrounds of different challenges at their headquarters and on their production lines.

Regardless of the fickle English weather, Boeing will be at the air show under a cloud as its airliner unit, Boeing Commercial Airplanes (BCA), continues to address production quality problems and deal with heightened regulatory oversight following the blow-out of a door plug on an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX-9 in January. NTSB is still investigating that incident and FAA is holding BCA to a 737 production rate of no more than 38 per month, although the manufacturer is believed to be producing significantly fewer.

Unsurprisingly, Boeing will adopt a relatively low profile when Farnborough opens for business on July 22. The US manufacturer will likely announce orders during the five-day show, but the static park will be absent of airliners in Boeing livery.

Boeing says it will be “tailoring its presence” to focus on safety, quality and next-generation technologies.

"We are concentrated on implementing our comprehensive safety and quality plan and meeting our customer commitments,” Boeing global president Brendan Nelson said ahead of the show. “With these priorities in mind, we have reduced our commercial airplanes display and flight demonstrations at the show, and will focus on new technology, sustainability, security and services solutions.

"The best way to build trust is through high-quality performance in our factories, one airplane at a time."

Rival Airbus is not without its production challenges, but unlike Boeing, Airbus’ problems are mostly not self-made. Some of its narrowbody portfolio is affected by the well-documented Pratt & Whitney GTF engine problems. It also has the difficulty of obtaining enough key components, including aerostructures and cabin interiors, to meet planned deliveries. The company’s goal to increase monthly production of A320-family aircraft to 75 has been pushed back to 2027. That pressure on production rate ramp-up is reducing its advantage over the MAX, which continues to log orders.

However, the balance of narrowbody orders between Airbus and Boeing has swung in favor of the European manufacturer.

Airbus believes it will deliver 770 aircraft across its range this year, which will be 50 fewer than in 2023.  But the company comes to Farnborough buoyed by the imminent entry into service of the A321XLR extra-long range narrowbody, which has found a niche in the market offering the type of range previously associated with widebodies at narrowbody acquisition and operating costs.