Southwest Airlines CEO Bob Jordan recently made a significant statement about Boeing, the American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes. He stated that Boeing "needs to become a better company" amid safety issues that have led the Dallas-based airline to lower its expectations with fewer new plane deliveries this year. This statement comes in the wake of ongoing safety concerns surrounding Boeing's aircraft.
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The company has been under scrutiny over its response to incidents and how it was able to approve the plane. Despite the worldwide grounding of the 737 Max, lawsuits, congressional hearings, and a criminal investigation, Boeing is in the process of re-earning the people's trust. Boeing's legal problems are mounting and are starting to become a problem for the rest of the airline industry. U.S. airlines are cutting their growth plans as Boeing slows production and works to correct errant manufacturing procedures amid the latest 737 MAX crisis.
"We all need Boeing to be better," said Southwest's CEO. Boeing's troubles are disrupting airlines' plans to grow capacity as the planemaker suffers from delays. The 737 Max 10 and Max 7, the longest and shortest version of Boeing's narrowbody jet, are yet to be certified by regulators. Increased scrutiny of Boeing's processes following January's Alaska Airlines blowout has made the pathway harder. Boeing withdrew a safety-exemption request for the Max 7 in the wake of the incident, pushing the certification timeline further back.
In conclusion, the statement by Southwest Airlines' CEO underscores the importance of safety and reliability in the aviation industry. It also highlights the need for Boeing to address its safety issues and become a better company for the sake of its customers and the entire airline industry.