Boeing NMA timeline questions keep fleet plans in flux

Questions continue to swirl on the feasibility of the timeline put forward by Boeing for its proposed New Mid-market Airplane (NMA), with some questioning whether the aircraft will be ready by 2025. "I'm not so sure it'll show up in the 2024-25 period," said Andrew Levy, CFO of United Airlines. As a result, United is not building its fleet plan around the proposed widebody being available by 2025, he says. United is looking at nearer-term alternatives, including the Airbus A321LR and Airbus A330-800neo, to replace some of its 128 Boeing 757s and 767s, two models that the NMA is designed to replace. Such a move by United would be a blow to Boeing, as the airline is a long-standing loyal customer that has long sought a new aircraft in the NMA's market segment. <br/>