FRANKFURT (Reuters) – Safety and quality problems uncovered at Boeing Co (NYSE:) after a door plug exploded earlier this year threaten to shake travelers' confidence in flying, a senior executive at rival Airbus said.
Christian Scherer, CEO of Airbus' commercial aircraft division, told German weekly magazine WirtschaftsWoche that these problems represent a “burden on the entire industry.”
“Boeing’s problems could make more people question how safe flying actually is,” Scherer was quoted as saying.
Boeing has been under increasing pressure over factory controls since January 5, when a door seal tore off mid-flight on one of its best-selling 737 MAX series jets in an accident blamed on missing screws.
Shearer rejected claims that Airbus might raise prices on its planes as a result of Boeing's problems, adding that pricing was only driven by demand outstripping supply and that it was difficult to predict how things would play out in the future.
“I dare say that a sick competitor could behave in a relatively unpredictable manner. If a company involuntarily has dozens of aircraft in inventory, it may initiate a major sell-off.”
