Boeing's woes deepen after Air India disaster
After a 2024 midair emergency involving another Boeing 737 Max, the US Federal Aviation Administration imposed a production cap on the number of planes per month that Boeing could manufacture.
Boeing posted a loss of $US11.8 billion in 2024, bringing its total losses since 2019 to more than $US35 billion. The company's financial problems were compounded by a strike by machinists who assemble the planes at its factories in Renton and Everett, Washington, which halted production at those facilities and hampered Boeing's delivery capability.
For the first three months of 2025, Boeing reported a narrower loss of $US31 million compared with the previous year. Chief executive Kelly Ortberg said Boeing made progress on stabilising operations during the quarter.
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While aviation officials stressed the need for investigations to play out, US President Donald Trump offered pointers to Indian authorities on possible causes of the Air India disaster.
After sending his condolences on the deadly crash, Trump said: 'I gave them a couple of pointers. I said, 'Maybe you look at this,' you know, we saw the plane, it looked like it was flying pretty well, it didn't look like there was an explosion, just looked like the engines maybe lost power.'
Trump has earlier expressed frustration with Boeing over the pace of the production of the Air Force One presidential planes.
So far, US officials said on Friday (AEST) there was no indication from the crash evidence so far that would require the grounding of the Boeing 787.
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said investigators 'have to get on the ground and take a look. But again right now it'd be way too premature'.
Ortberg, president and CEO of Boeing said: 'Our deepest condolences go out to the loved ones of the passengers and crew on board Air India Flight 171, as well as everyone affected in Ahmedabad.'
Ortberg said he spoke with Air India chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran 'to offer our full support, and a Boeing team stands ready to support the investigation led by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau'.
The Thursday crash of the Air India flight has also weighed on GE Aerospace, the maker of the engines used in Air India flight. Shares in the company fell 2.2 per cent.
'We extend our heartfelt sympathies to the families and loved ones of those impacted,' said a spokesman for GE Aerospace. 'We have activated our emergency response team, and we are prepared to support our customer and the investigation.'
More than 1100 Dreamliners are in service with airlines around the world, with nearly 900 more on order.
The 787 Dreamliner was the first commercial aircraft built primarily from lighter carbon-composite materials, allowing it to offer fuel savings of up to 20 per cent. The plane's range of 13,530 kilometres gives airlines flexibility to open new non-stop routes, in the hyper-competitive business. The 787 had been involved in no fatal wrecks before Thursday (AEST).
The Dreamliner did have a safety issue early in its commercial rollout. In 2013, it was grounded for four months after two separate incidents of lithium-ion batteries erupting into smoke and fire.
After an investigation, Boeing dispatched 300 teams to retrofit an improved battery cell. The planes were cleared for flight again by the US Federal Aviation Administration. The incident did not diminish robust demand for the 787.
More recently, Boeing jets have gotten caught up in the US-China trade war.
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In April, a Boeing jet was rejected from China after at least one Chinese airline halted deliveries due to US tariffs. In March 2019, China's aviation regulator was the first in the world to ground the 737 MAX.
Boeing had been crawling back from a series of crashes and questions about its safety record and leadership. These crises have compounded Boeing's struggle to supply airline clients with the planes they need.
After years of supply disruptions, difficulty in sourcing parts, and the impact of COVID, the backlog of planes to be delivered to airlines exceeds 17,000, according to the International Air Transport Association.
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