Op-ed: Why Design a Plane When You Can Sue? by Bernie Leighton
MIAMI – I had no idea that the Boeing 737 MAX was the most versatile aircraft ever made. I mean, I had a hint when United Airlines was nudged away from the CSeries into ordering the, much larger, Boeing 737-7 MAX. Clearly, it couldn’t have been because of discounting. That order was won on merit.
But what happened when Boeing ran into a customer who wanted an aircraft that met their RFP, not a discount? Clearly, that was a threat to the existence of America’s largest exporter. Wait, what? You heard me, Boeing not winning an order from a customer that does want their aircraft is a danger. Don’t believe me, why else is there a 300% tariff on the CSeries?
Boeing really said that offering launch pricing to attract Delta to order a decent quantity of comfortable and composite CSeries was price dumping. Sort of? I was on their side about the launch aid issue until I read more about the structure of what the deal Bombardier made with the Provincial Government of Quebec and the Federal Government of Canada actually entailed.
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Remember the Airbus A330 MRTT aka KC-45? It was the next USAF tanker until it wasn’t. The KC-46, made by Boeing, is now the USAF’s KC-135 replacement. The U.S. Government regardless of administration is sending a bizarre message to American business. “Buy Boeing, or you won’t like the answer.”
