Boeing Problems Postpone Airbus Freighters

1/8/2009

Delays in production of Boeing's new 787 Dreamliner passenger aircraft are postponing production of freighters by rival manufacturer Airbus.

The 787, with its promise of fuel efficiency and greater capacity over longer distances, attracted plenty of orders. But because of setbacks in technical development and an eight-week strike by machinists that ended only in November, fulfillment of those orders is two years behind schedule. The cost to Boeing is estimated at $2 billion.

Customers who still need passenger capacity despite changing economic conditions are looking for a replacement. The Airbus A330 with its 15-year-old widebody design is gaining a lot of attention, according to Bloomberg report. Airbus decided to accelerate production of the passenger version of the A330, Chief Operating Officer John Leahy told Bloomberg.

That decision led to the choice to postpone manufacturing the A330 freighter.

In the current economic slowdown with air cargo traffic falling more than 17 percent in the United States in December, it may be that airlines won't need the freighters any time soon.