ZURICH (Reuters) – Delays in plane deliveries from Boeing Co (NYSE:) are “very annoying” and cost Lufthansa a lot of money, but the U.S. planemaker should be able to solve its problems, the German airline's chief executive said in a newspaper interview.
Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr was direct when asked by Swiss newspaper Neue Zürcher Zeitung how the recent setbacks at Boeing and subsequent delivery delays would affect his company.
“This is very annoying and costs us a great deal of money,” Spohr said in the interview published over the weekend. “However, I am sure Boeing will control the problems.”
The industry needs strong suppliers, the Lufthansa chief said, also referring to Boeing's European rival Airbus.
“Everyone has an interest in Boeing being able to build great airplanes more reliably again soon,” he added.
When asked if he could imagine buying Chinese aircraft, Spohr played down the possibility.
“Given the safety standards we apply in the Lufthansa Group, I do not think this is realistic in the coming years,” he said.
Spohr was optimistic that Lufthansa's planned stake purchase in Italy's ITA Airways would receive regulatory approval, and said he would not be prepared to give up transatlantic flights to North America as a concession to get the green light.
