Avolon CEO Andy Cronin claims that Boeing is making significant quality progress. He made this statement on Thursday, Feb. 8.
His comments were around a month after Boeing was heavily criticized due to a mid-flight blowout incident involving its 737 Max 9 passenger plane.
CEO of Avolon Airlines Andy Cronin poses during the signing ceremony marking the order by Avolon of 40 Boeing 737-8 at the ParisLe Bourget Airport, on June 20, 2023.
Despite this alarming incident, Andy Cronin still defended Boeing, saying that the American aircraft manufacturer is "undoubtedly" making progress in its quality issues.
Avolon CEO Claims Boeing Making Significant Quality Progress
For those who are not aware, Avolon is considered to be the second-largest aircraft leasing company in the world. It is also one of the major customers of Boeing.
Although the remarks made by Andy Cronin are not surprising for a Boeing client, he still explained why he thinks the American aircraft maker is making significant progress in quality issues.
"I think undoubtedly they're making significant progress on what they've been trying to achieve," said the Avolon CEO via Yahoo Finance.
He added that Boeing is not the only plane manufacturer with quality problems. Andy Cronin claimed that Avolon discovered a large number of lower-level quality issues on passenger airplanes from different manufacturers.
"As supply chains are scrambling to reinstate production, we are seeing compounding factors impacting quality and delivery but not at a level where it's impacting safety," said the Avolon official.
He said that many of the quality problems they saw were those in second and third-order type fittings (cosmetic items).
Read Also: NTSB New Report: 4 Bolts Missing from Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 Before Door Plug Blowout
Other Companies Optimistic About Boeing
The Boeing logo is displayed on Boeing buildings on January 8, 2024, in El Segundo, California. Alaska Airlines and United Airlines are continuing to cancel flights following a midair fuselage door plug blowout on one of Alaska's Boeing 737 MAX 9 airplanes. More than 300 flights on Alaska and United Airlines have been canceled today amid the grounding of the aircraft.
Aside from Avolon, Ryanair also showed optimism towards Boeing after recently saying that it is willing to take any canceled 737 Max orders from U.S.-based airlines.
The ultra-low-cost carrier group promised that if U.S. flight companies decided to cancel the Boeing 737 Max airplanes they ordered, Ryanair would take them in their place.
"If United or any other airlines don't want to take their Max 10 orders, we will be happy to step in," said Ryanair Chief Executive Michael O'Leary via Financial Times.
Experts said that the Irish airline wants to have as many Boeing aircraft as it can since it is heavily reliant on the delivery of the Max airplanes.
They added that Ryanair needs Boeing's 737 Max airplanes to expand its business in the following years. As of writing, the Irish carrier group already has around 400 new aircraft made up of 737 Max 10s and Max 8s.
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