Deadly crash of a Boeing jet in Iran adds to company's woes
Still reeling from a crisis involving its long-grounded Max jet, Boeing faces new questions after an earlier model of the 737 crashed Wednesday in Iran. It is too early to know what caused the crash and whether Boeing bears any responsibility for the lives of all 176 people who died aboard the 3 1/2-year-old plane. At a minimum, however, the disaster will add to the burden facing Boeing's incoming CEO, David Calhoun, as he tries to repair the iconic airplane maker's balance sheet and reputation. “We need to know the cause," said William Waldock, a safety science professor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. "If it turns out to be an intentional act, that's not something (Boeing) can control. If it was something with the plane, there is one more item they have to get fixed." Even experts who discount the likelihood of a problem with the plane — a version of the 737 that has been built since the 1990s and has earned a good safety record — say that Boeing's public image will suffer. "I think everyone will quickly realize that there is very little chance, if any, that this has anything to do with the design or manufacture of the jet," said Richard Aboulafia, an aviation analyst with Teal Group. “But people are going to see ‘737 Destroyed.’ How do you quantify that in terms of reputational damage?" Boeing officials hunkered down on Wednesday, not saying much publicly after a 737-800 flown by Ukraine International Airlines crashed shortly after takeoff from Tehran's main airport. The company issued short statements saying it was gathering more information and was ready to help the Ukrainian airline in any way.<br/>
https://portal.staralliance.com/cms/news/hot-topics/2020-01-09/general/deadly-crash-of-a-boeing-jet-in-iran-adds-to-companys-woes
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Deadly crash of a Boeing jet in Iran adds to company's woes
Still reeling from a crisis involving its long-grounded Max jet, Boeing faces new questions after an earlier model of the 737 crashed Wednesday in Iran. It is too early to know what caused the crash and whether Boeing bears any responsibility for the lives of all 176 people who died aboard the 3 1/2-year-old plane. At a minimum, however, the disaster will add to the burden facing Boeing's incoming CEO, David Calhoun, as he tries to repair the iconic airplane maker's balance sheet and reputation. “We need to know the cause," said William Waldock, a safety science professor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. "If it turns out to be an intentional act, that's not something (Boeing) can control. If it was something with the plane, there is one more item they have to get fixed." Even experts who discount the likelihood of a problem with the plane — a version of the 737 that has been built since the 1990s and has earned a good safety record — say that Boeing's public image will suffer. "I think everyone will quickly realize that there is very little chance, if any, that this has anything to do with the design or manufacture of the jet," said Richard Aboulafia, an aviation analyst with Teal Group. “But people are going to see ‘737 Destroyed.’ How do you quantify that in terms of reputational damage?" Boeing officials hunkered down on Wednesday, not saying much publicly after a 737-800 flown by Ukraine International Airlines crashed shortly after takeoff from Tehran's main airport. The company issued short statements saying it was gathering more information and was ready to help the Ukrainian airline in any way.<br/>
