Airbus CEO says Boeing's problems are bad for whole industry (updated)

LATAM Airlines

19/03/2024 10:47

(Adds comments from French Finance Minister in paragraphs 6-7)
       PARIS, March 19 (Reuters) - Airbus  AIR.PA  takes no
pleasure in the technical problems plaguing U.S. rival Boeing
 BA.N  as they damage the image of the entire aerospace
industry, the CEO of the European planemaker said on Tuesday.
    "I am not happy with the problems of my competitor. They are
not good for the industry a whole," Guillaume Faury told the
"Europe 2024" conference in Berlin, when asked about technical
problems at Boeing. 
    "We are in an industry where quality and safety is top
priority," he added.
    Boeing was rocked in January by a door plug blowout on one
of its 737 MAX 9 jets during an Alaska Airlines  ALK.N  flight.
    Earlier this month, Boeing also told airlines operating 787
Dreamliners to check flight deck switches after a sudden mid-air
dive by a LATAM Airlines  LTM.SN  787 plane left more than 50
people injured.
    French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire told the same event
in Berlin that Airbus was currently in better shape than Boeing.
    "I prefer Airbus' situation to that of Boeing," he said.

 (Reporting by Dominique Vidalon and Sudip Kar-Gupta
Editing by Mark Potter)
 ((dominique.vidalon@thomsonreuters.com; +33149495432; Reuters
Messaging: dominique.vidalon.reuters.com@reuters.net))