Miloch
June 19th 19, 03:10 AM
more at
https://gizmodo.com/boeing-says-its-open-to-changing-the-name-of-the-737-ma-1835614102
After three months of being grounded following two fatal crashes in Ethiopia and
Indonesia, the 737 Max may be up for a rebranding.
Boeing’s chief financial officer Greg Smith said on Monday at the Paris Air Show
that the aerospace company is considering changing the name of its now infamous
airplane, Bloomberg reports.
“I’d say we’re being open-minded to all the input we get,” Smith told Bloomberg.
“We’re committed to doing what we need to do to restore it. If that means
changing the brand to restore it, then we’ll address that. If it doesn’t, we’ll
address whatever is a high priority.”
The statement comes two months after President Donald Trump suggested in a tweet
that Boeing should rebrand the 737 Max.
Boeing did not immediately respond to a Gizmodo request for comment, but the
company told Bloomberg it is prioritizing getting the aircraft safely in the
air. “Our immediate focus is the safe return of the Max to service and
re-earning the trust of airlines and the traveling public,” Boeing told
Bloomberg, following the Smith interview. “We remain open-minded to all input
from customers and other stakeholders, but have no plans at this time to change
the name of the 737 Max.”
As CNN reports, Smith tried to use the Paris Air Show to reassure hopeful
customers that the 737 Max (or whatever it will be called) will be back in
service soon.
“Words simply cannot express the sorrow and the sympathy that we feel for the
families and the loved ones of those that were lost in these tragic accidents,”
Smith told reporters, according to CNN “We’ve been working with the FAA and
regulators around the globe to ensure that we’re answering all of their
questions and addressing any concerns that they may have.”
But as Boeing was on the defensive, its competitor Airbus revealed that it had
received 100 orders for new planes, and unveiled its new jet, the single-aisle,
long-range A321XLR that is supposed to enter service in four years, according to
CNN. Last week, CNN reported that Boeing had received no new orders in two
months. In good news for the company, Amazon announced on Tuesday that it’s
agreed to lease 15 more aircraft from Boeing for its cargo fleet.
As CNN points out, aircraft manufacturers have never changed airplane names
following major crashes. But the 737 Max has likely received much worse
publicity than any other specific aircraft—prompting a response from the travel
industry. In March, following the first 737 Max crash, travel-planning platform
Kayak started allowing customers to filter based on the plane model.
*
https://gizmodo.com/boeing-says-its-open-to-changing-the-name-of-the-737-ma-1835614102
After three months of being grounded following two fatal crashes in Ethiopia and
Indonesia, the 737 Max may be up for a rebranding.
Boeing’s chief financial officer Greg Smith said on Monday at the Paris Air Show
that the aerospace company is considering changing the name of its now infamous
airplane, Bloomberg reports.
“I’d say we’re being open-minded to all the input we get,” Smith told Bloomberg.
“We’re committed to doing what we need to do to restore it. If that means
changing the brand to restore it, then we’ll address that. If it doesn’t, we’ll
address whatever is a high priority.”
The statement comes two months after President Donald Trump suggested in a tweet
that Boeing should rebrand the 737 Max.
Boeing did not immediately respond to a Gizmodo request for comment, but the
company told Bloomberg it is prioritizing getting the aircraft safely in the
air. “Our immediate focus is the safe return of the Max to service and
re-earning the trust of airlines and the traveling public,” Boeing told
Bloomberg, following the Smith interview. “We remain open-minded to all input
from customers and other stakeholders, but have no plans at this time to change
the name of the 737 Max.”
As CNN reports, Smith tried to use the Paris Air Show to reassure hopeful
customers that the 737 Max (or whatever it will be called) will be back in
service soon.
“Words simply cannot express the sorrow and the sympathy that we feel for the
families and the loved ones of those that were lost in these tragic accidents,”
Smith told reporters, according to CNN “We’ve been working with the FAA and
regulators around the globe to ensure that we’re answering all of their
questions and addressing any concerns that they may have.”
But as Boeing was on the defensive, its competitor Airbus revealed that it had
received 100 orders for new planes, and unveiled its new jet, the single-aisle,
long-range A321XLR that is supposed to enter service in four years, according to
CNN. Last week, CNN reported that Boeing had received no new orders in two
months. In good news for the company, Amazon announced on Tuesday that it’s
agreed to lease 15 more aircraft from Boeing for its cargo fleet.
As CNN points out, aircraft manufacturers have never changed airplane names
following major crashes. But the 737 Max has likely received much worse
publicity than any other specific aircraft—prompting a response from the travel
industry. In March, following the first 737 Max crash, travel-planning platform
Kayak started allowing customers to filter based on the plane model.
*