Airbus Is Confused With Boeing

Airbus' CEO has offered his thoughts and a rather bemused stance on the progress of Boeing's next commercial airplane, which will obviously go on to rival its own A320 successor. With Airbus having locked in a bit of a plan and therefore timeline for the launch of its own successor to the popular single-aisle family, it is in contrast to its competitor. In a tell-all interview with Aviation Week, the executive answered questions on a range of topics, including shedding more light on its next commercial airplane expected to launch in the 2030s with an EIS in the second half of that decade. So first of all, we know that Airbus is very committed to its next new plane. It is past the stage of very simply considering its next new generation narrowbody that work is now underway to define exactly what the next iteration of the business will be. Therefore, the stance of wanting it, and this being the view for years, means a timeline has been defined and will allow a pathway to reveal the successor to the A320. While still some time away, the industry works heavily in advance, years passing by at a moment's notice, and therefore it means decisions having to be made far earlier than the average business. Preparation is one of the most integral areas to focus in on. If you do not prepare, you will fail, and you should be prepared to fail if many angles are not covered as thoroughly as possible. The type of language aligns very closely with what Airbus is coming out with, that being their current position of researching the technological programs that are available to it, establishing these as well, making comparisons between aircraft structures, you've got wings, fuselages, and of course, most critically, the propulsion systems to support the nicknamed e-action narrowbody. At Airbus, the next single aisle is inevitable, and for Boeing it would be seen as the same. However, Airbus is still somewhat more stable, and would argue more forward thinking in terms of its public approach that sees work picking up to put the systems in place for success. When it was suggested to Airbus' CEO that Boeing may not feel the same urgency for the successor in the single aisle frame, because their 737 MAX is selling so well, he said that he liked that thinking. So much being said in just so few words, it is a very rational viewpoint, not acting on a replacement when your current product line is advancing so fast, meaning there is less pressure to announce something new, especially something that is so costly given we know Boeing is still engaging in those recovery efforts throughout this decade. However, the comments also show some thought in the comfort that Boeing has, possibly the risks associated with delaying the new MAX replacement for another decade. It comes as well, we know, where Boeing's in the early stages of their own 73 successor study, with reporting pointing to concept work, early discussions, and the hopeful similar mid to late 2030 timeline for an EIS, but their timeline certainly hasn't been made nearly as public as Airbus' and probably for good reason, Airbus' executive saying that maybe the other should have done something differently in the past, I don't know what they are thinking. From Airbus' perspective, Boeing is somewhat comfortable with the MAX, at the same time it does examine the future. Airbus has a much firmer plan, has locked down timelines, and is speaking like I keep saying publicly and why this video is going live about the new generation of narrowbodies. That doesn't mean Boeing doesn't know its next new plane isn't important, as also it spoke with Aviation Week in a separate interview, saying a 737 successor was a much more likely route than say an NMA type design. However, Boeing also has a lot more on its plate as it looks to recover and build for the future. A new jet will be absolutely critical for the business, however it said it will not be rushed and will base its decisions on what the market wants, rather than what competitors are doing. Additionally, it needs to ensure that whatever it actually puts out is safe, game-changing, and from an airline standpoint, even itself, worth investing in. So why is Airbus confused? Well, Airbus sees Boeing maybe being a little bit more hesitant to move forward with its new plane. It's something the manufacturer welcomes, it gives them the space to shape what their next generation jet for, you'd argue the second time in a row, will be in their own time, without as much pressure or the need to force a reaction. When Airbus pounced on the narrowbody scene, remember, with its simple A320neo, Boeing panicked, it had nothing ready, and the 737 MAX came. This was a rushed move to avoid ceding ground to its competitor, which ultimately led to, as we know, quality slips, a rushed certification process that all came back to bite. Now that the next iteration of Airbus is planned, it has a timeline and is working methodically to prepare for this decision. If Boeing therefore chooses to sit on its strong MAX backlog, or is in any way delayed in the release, the European manufacturer likes that, and it believes that the discipline it's showing will pay off. They're not confused about their own next new plane, but more so they hold that uncertainty around what their competitors are doing, as they see them maybe not moving with such aggression like themselves. It's a pretty expensive product decision, and we're looking at something pivotal for the next, say, half century currently in the works. So there's not really any room for error, but if you are going to take those gambles, you take them now, in the very early stages, and getting in early is so important. No doubt, the chief, as he said, you do need to prepare, and if you don't prepare, you fail, but you should be prepared to fail. You have to cover as many angles as possible in the journey to getting a new plane up in the skies. I'd love to hear your take, really just comparing the progress we have seen at the very least from a public standpoint on Airbus and Boeing and their next new plane. Thanks for watching, and I'll see you back here tomorrow.