While the 787 Dreamliner fly suffer can dominate headlines, are payments Boeing (BA) is to reassure disgruntled buyers of new aircraft generally much quieter way treated. But the first European customer for the 787, LOT Polish Airlines, makes their demand for compensation public.
The problem was then an earnings conference call last week in the Boeing Chief Executive Officer W. James McNerney declared all customers payment requests from 787's three month grounding of the set. "There have been some cases where we had commitments to customers and those were all fulfilled," McNerney told investors and journalists during the July call. "And you see by quarterly figures, there was no significant impact on our business, we work with our customers to help. He added: "We think they are all behind us now."
The Polish airline begs to differ. "Maybe this didn't not affect profit the Boeing, but in fact we were not satisfied at all financially" many spokesman Robert Moren says in a telephone interview on Monday. "[Cost] are not likely huge money for Boeing, but for us - while we are in the process of restructuring – it's quite substantial."
MUCH to get his fifth 787 in Warsaw on Tuesday. Airline officials met with Boeing executives earlier this month to claims from the January, grounding, to transmit the rendered useless fires two new Boeing 787, which already by the airline, while Boeing redesigned the lithium-ion battery system that has been suggested on board in a January a Japan Airlines 787 parked in Boston.
Boeing spokesman John Dern said the company remains in "Close contact" with its customers, "but the details of these discussions are private."
MUCH has resumed flights with its Boeing 787 and plans to deploy the aircraft on all four of its long-haul markets - Beijing, Chicago, New York and Toronto - by Aug. 10 Moren said that the plane travellers has proven popular and sales are higher than other models, while the 787 is still having problems with the reliability, the slowly resolved. "We take this as a childhood-old disease, it goes away quickly," he said. "The Dreamliner will become a profitable aircraft for many."
Payments made by aircraft manufacturers for such new airplane questions include always a certain legalistic bargaining, drifting into the public domain only if it perhaps serves the interest of a financially-pressed airline. In March 2012, for example, Boeing reacted quickly to deny a statement by the Indian Government, which the company had agreed to pay $500 million over 787 delivery delays on Air India. "We not comment on offers, we have done, but I can tell you that we write a check for $500 million, not someone", Jim Allbaugh, President of Boeing said the commercial airplanes unit.
Sometimes, the 'prevention' can be cash payment - Reuters reported , that all Nippon Airways (9202: JP), the first 787 customer some of Boeing in this spring sought - but it could be also in the form of a discount on a future purchase or a break in the credit offer, but Boeing capital, the Chicago-based company the financing unit. Typically, United Airlines (UAL), who also tried only U.S. 787 operator, payments from Boeing late aircraft but has avoided to discuss the matter publicly.
However, it is difficult to deny the significance of the 787 for many who received for the first time in November 2012, and composed a dramatic press release on the occasion. "Our dream come true," said the carrier. "The day of 15 November 2012 will be printed in the history of our company as a moment-the landmark of our long-term work and striving for change." Eight months later, it is also a quest for money.
